Urban population — all countries

Urban population — Southern Africa

Urban population in Southern Africa in 2025 — 46,024,443 people. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 484.7%.

2025 46.02M people +1.5% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 46.02M people2025
Period minimum 7.87M people1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Urban population — Southern Africa, 1960–2025020M40M60M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 7,871,181 people1962: 8,408,252 people1964: 8,996,044 people1966: 9,627,543 people1968: 10,309,218 people1970: 11,025,335 people1972: 11,745,851 people1974: 12,489,252 people1976: 13,245,982 people1978: 14,043,847 people1980: 14,948,925 people1982: 16,109,404 people1984: 17,449,803 people1986: 18,930,881 people1988: 20,696,162 people1990: 22,546,012 people1992: 23,889,266 people1994: 25,037,211 people1996: 25,995,315 people1998: 27,225,445 people2000: 28,633,297 people2002: 29,937,564 people2004: 31,346,784 people2006: 32,825,219 people2008: 34,333,178 people2010: 35,750,984 people2012: 37,034,852 people2014: 38,490,793 people2016: 39,852,404 people2018: 40,992,149 people2020: 42,496,271 people2022: 43,913,855 people2024: 45,342,781 people2025: 46,024,443 people
Change over the period: +38.15M (+484.72%) Average annual rate: 2.75 %

Comparison, 2025

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

Southern Africa 46.02M people
World 4.75B people
Urban population — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 46.02M +681,662 +1.5%
2024 45.34M +704,291 +1.58%
2023 44.64M +724,635 +1.65%
2022 43.91M +692,768 +1.6%
2021 43.22M +724,816 +1.71%
2020 42.5M +750,701 +1.8%
2019 41.75M +753,421 +1.84%
2018 40.99M +759,125 +1.89%
2017 40.23M +380,620 +0.96%
2016 39.85M +492,585 +1.25%
2015 39.36M +869,026 +2.26%
2014 38.49M +734,401 +1.95%
2013 37.76M +721,540 +1.95%
2012 37.03M +657,241 +1.81%
2011 36.38M +626,627 +1.75%
2010 35.75M +681,476 +1.94%
2009 35.07M +736,330 +2.14%
2008 34.33M +759,052 +2.26%
2007 33.57M +748,907 +2.28%
2006 32.83M +743,512 +2.32%
2005 32.08M +734,923 +2.34%
2004 31.35M +718,812 +2.35%
2003 30.63M +690,408 +2.31%
2002 29.94M +651,358 +2.22%
2001 29.29M +652,909 +2.28%
2000 28.63M +694,534 +2.49%
1999 27.94M +713,318 +2.62%
1998 27.23M +672,066 +2.53%
1997 26.55M +558,064 +2.15%
1996 26M +508,286 +1.99%
1995 25.49M +449,818 +1.8%
1994 25.04M +528,811 +2.16%
1993 24.51M +619,134 +2.59%
1992 23.89M +592,071 +2.54%
1991 23.3M +751,183 +3.33%
1990 22.55M +909,153 +4.2%
1989 21.64M +940,697 +4.55%
1988 20.7M +912,918 +4.61%
1987 19.78M +852,363 +4.5%
1986 18.93M +768,181 +4.23%
1985 18.16M +712,897 +4.09%
1984 17.45M +689,374 +4.11%
1983 16.76M +651,025 +4.04%
1982 16.11M +602,322 +3.88%
1981 15.51M +558,157 +3.73%
1980 14.95M +484,497 +3.35%
1979 14.46M +420,581 +2.99%
1978 14.04M +407,357 +2.99%
1977 13.64M +390,508 +2.95%
1976 13.25M +379,036 +2.95%
1975 12.87M +377,694 +3.02%
1974 12.49M +374,027 +3.09%
1973 12.12M +369,374 +3.14%
1972 11.75M +361,169 +3.17%
1971 11.38M +359,347 +3.26%
1970 11.03M +360,762 +3.38%
1969 10.66M +355,355 +3.45%
1968 10.31M +346,598 +3.48%
1967 9.96M +335,077 +3.48%
1966 9.63M +321,860 +3.46%
1965 9.31M +309,639 +3.44%
1964 9M +298,648 +3.43%
1963 8.7M +289,144 +3.44%
1962 8.41M +277,840 +3.42%
1961 8.13M +259,231 +3.29%
1960 7.87M

About the indicator

The population living in urban settlements, by national definitions of urban areas. The indicator complements the urban population share: a country with a modest urbanization percentage can hold one of the largest urban populations in the world simply because of its overall size.

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