Female population — all countries

Female population — Southern Africa

Female population in Southern Africa in 2025 — 37,961,617 people. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 314.1%.

2025 37.96M people +1.23% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 37.96M people2025
Period minimum 9.17M people1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Female population — Southern Africa, 1960–2025010M20M30M40M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 9,166,443 people1962: 9,735,885 people1964: 10,373,104 people1966: 11,056,311 people1968: 11,784,702 people1970: 12,541,056 people1972: 13,277,274 people1974: 14,039,223 people1976: 14,828,403 people1978: 15,642,880 people1980: 16,555,247 people1982: 17,721,844 people1984: 18,997,706 people1986: 20,249,129 people1988: 21,493,936 people1990: 22,764,541 people1992: 23,898,686 people1994: 24,768,288 people1996: 26,515,320 people1998: 27,509,706 people2000: 28,107,255 people2002: 28,613,738 people2004: 29,107,824 people2006: 29,613,307 people2008: 30,211,627 people2010: 30,881,703 people2012: 31,667,164 people2014: 32,643,415 people2016: 33,539,724 people2018: 34,406,067 people2020: 35,520,085 people2022: 36,566,919 people2024: 37,500,296 people2025: 37,961,617 people
Change over the period: +28.8M (+314.14%) Average annual rate: 2.21 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 37.96M people
World 4.09B people
Female population — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 37.96M +461,321 +1.23%
2024 37.5M +466,894 +1.26%
2023 37.03M +466,483 +1.28%
2022 36.57M +500,933 +1.39%
2021 36.07M +545,901 +1.54%
2020 35.52M +560,275 +1.6%
2019 34.96M +553,743 +1.61%
2018 34.41M +549,740 +1.62%
2017 33.86M +316,603 +0.94%
2016 33.54M +346,663 +1.04%
2015 33.19M +549,646 +1.68%
2014 32.64M +486,162 +1.51%
2013 32.16M +490,089 +1.55%
2012 31.67M +429,937 +1.38%
2011 31.24M +355,524 +1.15%
2010 30.88M +335,851 +1.1%
2009 30.55M +334,225 +1.11%
2008 30.21M +316,663 +1.06%
2007 29.89M +281,657 +0.95%
2006 29.61M +258,523 +0.88%
2005 29.35M +246,960 +0.85%
2004 29.11M +246,117 +0.85%
2003 28.86M +247,969 +0.87%
2002 28.61M +252,044 +0.89%
2001 28.36M +254,439 +0.91%
2000 28.11M +279,079 +1%
1999 27.83M +318,470 +1.16%
1998 27.51M +346,605 +1.28%
1997 27.16M +647,781 +2.44%
1996 26.52M +824,741 +3.21%
1995 25.69M +922,291 +3.72%
1994 24.77M +547,840 +2.26%
1993 24.22M +321,762 +1.35%
1992 23.9M +587,069 +2.52%
1991 23.31M +547,076 +2.4%
1990 22.76M +627,927 +2.84%
1989 22.14M +642,678 +2.99%
1988 21.49M +626,043 +3%
1987 20.87M +618,764 +3.06%
1986 20.25M +616,939 +3.14%
1985 19.63M +634,484 +3.34%
1984 19M +646,591 +3.52%
1983 18.35M +629,271 +3.55%
1982 17.72M +599,771 +3.5%
1981 17.12M +566,826 +3.42%
1980 16.56M +490,741 +3.05%
1979 16.06M +421,626 +2.7%
1978 15.64M +410,602 +2.7%
1977 15.23M +403,875 +2.72%
1976 14.83M +397,538 +2.75%
1975 14.43M +391,642 +2.79%
1974 14.04M +384,841 +2.82%
1973 13.65M +377,108 +2.84%
1972 13.28M +365,890 +2.83%
1971 12.91M +370,328 +2.95%
1970 12.54M +380,347 +3.13%
1969 12.16M +376,007 +3.19%
1968 11.78M +368,148 +3.22%
1967 11.42M +360,243 +3.26%
1966 11.06M +348,124 +3.25%
1965 10.71M +335,083 +3.23%
1964 10.37M +324,590 +3.23%
1963 10.05M +312,629 +3.21%
1962 9.74M +297,809 +3.16%
1961 9.44M +271,633 +2.96%
1960 9.17M

About the indicator

The female population of a country as of mid-year, by the World Population Prospects revisions of the UN. In most countries women outnumber men, and the gap widens with age because of higher life expectancy; the exceptions are countries with mass male labor migration and countries where a selective attitude toward the birth of girls persists.

Important: The sum with the male population equals total population. The absolute number says little about structure — for comparing countries there is a separate indicator, the share of women in the population.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.