Rural population in South Africa in 2025 — 23,428,558 people. Ranked 24 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 167.3%.
1960–2025 · people
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Africa
| Year | people | Change | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23.43M | +188,700 | +0.81% |
| 2024 | 23.24M | +219,406 | +0.95% |
| 2023 | 23.02M | +237,779 | +1.04% |
| 2022 | 22.78M | +303,713 | +1.35% |
| 2021 | 22.48M | +335,724 | +1.52% |
| 2020 | 22.14M | +341,653 | +1.57% |
| 2019 | 21.8M | +335,834 | +1.56% |
| 2018 | 21.47M | +331,574 | +1.57% |
| 2017 | 21.13M | +105,661 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 21.03M | +159,718 | +0.77% |
| 2015 | 20.87M | +373,888 | +1.82% |
| 2014 | 20.49M | +292,408 | +1.45% |
| 2013 | 20.2M | +282,328 | +1.42% |
| 2012 | 19.92M | +232,786 | +1.18% |
| 2011 | 19.69M | +126,368 | +0.65% |
| 2010 | 19.56M | +38,306 | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 19.52M | −18,758 | −0.1% |
| 2008 | 19.54M | −71,678 | −0.37% |
| 2007 | 19.61M | −122,349 | −0.62% |
| 2006 | 19.74M | −147,532 | −0.74% |
| 2005 | 19.88M | −155,570 | −0.78% |
| 2004 | 20.04M | −150,915 | −0.75% |
| 2003 | 20.19M | −135,972 | −0.67% |
| 2002 | 20.33M | −127,556 | −0.62% |
| 2001 | 20.45M | −175,093 | −0.85% |
| 2000 | 20.63M | −194,504 | −0.93% |
| 1999 | 20.82M | −137,004 | −0.65% |
| 1998 | 20.96M | −45,268 | −0.22% |
| 1997 | 21M | +56,513 | +0.27% |
| 1996 | 20.95M | +145,807 | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 20.8M | +157,522 | +0.76% |
| 1994 | 20.65M | +249,296 | +1.22% |
| 1993 | 20.4M | +311,721 | +1.55% |
| 1992 | 20.08M | +240,613 | +1.21% |
| 1991 | 19.84M | +272,188 | +1.39% |
| 1990 | 19.57M | +305,975 | +1.59% |
| 1989 | 19.27M | +307,688 | +1.62% |
| 1988 | 18.96M | +331,300 | +1.78% |
| 1987 | 18.63M | +376,659 | +2.06% |
| 1986 | 18.25M | +448,246 | +2.52% |
| 1985 | 17.8M | +508,238 | +2.94% |
| 1984 | 17.29M | +527,150 | +3.14% |
| 1983 | 16.77M | +526,275 | +3.24% |
| 1982 | 16.24M | +512,596 | +3.26% |
| 1981 | 15.73M | +495,394 | +3.25% |
| 1980 | 15.23M | +431,577 | +2.92% |
| 1979 | 14.8M | +374,616 | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 14.43M | +371,219 | +2.64% |
| 1977 | 14.05M | +360,094 | +2.63% |
| 1976 | 13.69M | +352,218 | +2.64% |
| 1975 | 13.34M | +351,987 | +2.71% |
| 1974 | 12.99M | +348,783 | +2.76% |
| 1973 | 12.64M | +343,332 | +2.79% |
| 1972 | 12.3M | +333,405 | +2.79% |
| 1971 | 11.96M | +329,299 | +2.83% |
| 1970 | 11.64M | +330,556 | +2.92% |
| 1969 | 11.3M | +327,308 | +2.98% |
| 1968 | 10.98M | +320,401 | +3.01% |
| 1967 | 10.66M | +310,364 | +3% |
| 1966 | 10.35M | +297,785 | +2.96% |
| 1965 | 10.05M | +285,132 | +2.92% |
| 1964 | 9.76M | +272,915 | +2.88% |
| 1963 | 9.49M | +260,655 | +2.82% |
| 1962 | 9.23M | +245,588 | +2.73% |
| 1961 | 8.98M | +220,686 | +2.52% |
| 1960 | 8.76M | — | — |
The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages
The population living outside urban settlements. In the catalog this quantity was present only as a share, while the absolute number shows what the share does not: the world's rural population stopped growing only in the 2020s and still exceeds three billion people, even though the share has been falling for half a century. Each country defines a city itself, so cross-country comparisons of this series call for caution.
Important: It is computed as the difference between total and urban population, and the criterion for a city is national: in some places it is a settlement of two thousand residents, in others twenty thousand. Comparing the trend within a country is more reliable than comparing countries with each other.
Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.
The part of residents living outside cities — the other side of urbanization.
Demography Urban populationThe absolute number of city dwellers by country.
Demography PopulationResident population of every country as of mid-year — series from 1960 onward.
Labor Employment in agricultureThe share of workers employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing.
