Rural population in Southern Africa in 2025 — 27,997,313 people. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 160.2%.
1960–2025 · people
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa
| Year | people | Change | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28M | +201,392 | +0.72% |
| 2024 | 27.8M | +236,710 | +0.86% |
| 2023 | 27.56M | +260,075 | +0.95% |
| 2022 | 27.3M | +337,496 | +1.25% |
| 2021 | 26.96M | +372,418 | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 26.59M | +375,051 | +1.43% |
| 2019 | 26.21M | +364,319 | +1.41% |
| 2018 | 25.85M | +358,809 | +1.41% |
| 2017 | 25.49M | +129,978 | +0.51% |
| 2016 | 25.36M | +172,350 | +0.68% |
| 2015 | 25.19M | +384,099 | +1.55% |
| 2014 | 24.8M | +302,533 | +1.23% |
| 2013 | 24.5M | +292,880 | +1.21% |
| 2012 | 24.21M | +239,907 | +1% |
| 2011 | 23.97M | +125,406 | +0.53% |
| 2010 | 23.84M | +30,779 | +0.13% |
| 2009 | 23.81M | −29,968 | −0.13% |
| 2008 | 23.84M | −85,153 | −0.36% |
| 2007 | 23.93M | −140,729 | −0.58% |
| 2006 | 24.07M | −177,922 | −0.73% |
| 2005 | 24.25M | −191,270 | −0.78% |
| 2004 | 24.44M | −179,182 | −0.73% |
| 2003 | 24.62M | −153,369 | −0.62% |
| 2002 | 24.77M | −131,109 | −0.53% |
| 2001 | 24.9M | −165,965 | −0.66% |
| 2000 | 25.07M | −176,175 | −0.7% |
| 1999 | 25.24M | −111,828 | −0.44% |
| 1998 | 25.36M | −13,398 | −0.05% |
| 1997 | 25.37M | +97,200 | +0.38% |
| 1996 | 25.27M | +194,578 | +0.78% |
| 1995 | 25.08M | +195,227 | +0.78% |
| 1994 | 24.88M | +291,495 | +1.19% |
| 1993 | 24.59M | +378,391 | +1.56% |
| 1992 | 24.21M | +313,577 | +1.31% |
| 1991 | 23.9M | +341,332 | +1.45% |
| 1990 | 23.56M | +393,206 | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 23.16M | +394,875 | +1.73% |
| 1988 | 22.77M | +392,095 | +1.75% |
| 1987 | 22.38M | +434,968 | +1.98% |
| 1986 | 21.94M | +513,432 | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 21.43M | +576,400 | +2.76% |
| 1984 | 20.85M | +596,510 | +2.94% |
| 1983 | 20.26M | +601,997 | +3.06% |
| 1982 | 19.65M | +592,561 | +3.11% |
| 1981 | 19.06M | +569,319 | +3.08% |
| 1980 | 18.49M | +514,347 | +2.86% |
| 1979 | 17.98M | +469,815 | +2.68% |
| 1978 | 17.51M | +464,399 | +2.72% |
| 1977 | 17.04M | +452,369 | +2.73% |
| 1976 | 16.59M | +444,364 | +2.75% |
| 1975 | 16.15M | +441,690 | +2.81% |
| 1974 | 15.71M | +432,923 | +2.83% |
| 1973 | 15.27M | +421,847 | +2.84% |
| 1972 | 14.85M | +402,307 | +2.78% |
| 1971 | 14.45M | +384,615 | +2.73% |
| 1970 | 14.06M | +376,974 | +2.75% |
| 1969 | 13.69M | +371,537 | +2.79% |
| 1968 | 13.31M | +363,392 | +2.81% |
| 1967 | 12.95M | +352,736 | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 12.6M | +337,356 | +2.75% |
| 1965 | 12.26M | +327,139 | +2.74% |
| 1964 | 11.93M | +319,351 | +2.75% |
| 1963 | 11.61M | +305,461 | +2.7% |
| 1962 | 11.31M | +288,674 | +2.62% |
| 1961 | 11.02M | +262,262 | +2.44% |
| 1960 | 10.76M | — | — |
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.