South Africa — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for South Africa, 1960–2025.
Urban population for South Africa was 63.82% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 46.69% in 1960 (about 1.4× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.48% per year.
South Africa ranks 111 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 51%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 45.11%, so South Africa sits above it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 1%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 9 of 48 economies; Nigeria (63.78%) is just below it.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 144 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 68th of 217 in 1960 → 88th of 217 in 1970 → 106th of 217 in 1980 → 109th of 217 in 1990 → 106th of 217 in 2000 → 101st of 217 in 2010 → 108th of 217 in 2020 → 111th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63.82% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 63.69% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 63.58% | +0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 63.48% | +0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 63.45% | +0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 63.44% | +0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 63.41% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 63.38% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 63.33% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 63.28% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 63.21% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 63.14% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 63.05% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 62.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 62.85% | +0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 62.63% | +0.4 pp |
| 2009 | 62.26% | +0.5 pp |
| 2008 | 61.77% | +0.6 pp |
| 2007 | 61.18% | +0.7 pp |
| 2006 | 60.53% | +0.7 pp |
| 2005 | 59.82% | +0.7 pp |
| 2004 | 59.1% | +0.7 pp |
| 2003 | 58.37% | +0.7 pp |
| 2002 | 57.67% | +0.7 pp |
| 2001 | 57% | +0.7 pp |
| 2000 | 56.26% | +0.8 pp |
| 1999 | 55.44% | +0.8 pp |
| 1998 | 54.66% | +0.7 pp |
| 1997 | 54% | +0.4 pp |
| 1996 | 53.57% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 53.3% | +0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 53.08% | +0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 52.89% | +0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 52.68% | +0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 52.4% | +0.4 pp |
| 1990 | 51.97% | +0.6 pp |
| 1989 | 51.39% | +0.7 pp |
| 1988 | 50.73% | +0.6 pp |
| 1987 | 50.1% | +0.5 pp |
| 1986 | 49.56% | +0.4 pp |
| 1985 | 49.2% | +0.2 pp |
| 1984 | 48.98% | +0.2 pp |
| 1983 | 48.79% | +0.2 pp |
| 1982 | 48.63% | +0.1 pp |
| 1981 | 48.5% | +0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 48.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 48.31% | +0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 48.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 48.18% | +0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 48.12% | +0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 48.07% | +0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 48.02% | +0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 47.97% | +0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 47.91% | +0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 47.85% | +0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 47.78% | +0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 47.7% | +0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 47.62% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 47.54% | +0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 47.45% | +0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 47.36% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 47.26% | +0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 47.14% | +0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 47.01% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 46.86% | +0.2 pp |
| 1960 | 46.69% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was South Africa’s Urban population in 1961?
46.86% (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total population, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is South Africa’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +36.7% in total — about 0.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 63.82%; 2024: 63.69%; 2023: 63.58%; 2022: 63.48%; 2021: 63.45%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS — Urban Population (% of Total). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.