Population ages 0-14, total in South Africa

South Africa: Population ages 0-14, total was 16.66 million in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
16.66 million
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
26th
of 217 countries
All-time high
17.01 million
in 1997
All-time low
6.92 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025

Population ages 0-14, total in South Africa, 1960–2025

05.0M10.0M15.0M196019922025

Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), note: Staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects., publi.

Analysis

In 2025, population ages 0-14, total in South Africa stood at 16.66 million.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population ages 0-14, total in South Africa peaked at 17.01 million in 1997 and was at its lowest, 6.92 million, in 1960.

South Africa ranks 26th of 217 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.

Population ages 0-14, total in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Population ages 0-14, total in South Africa, 1960 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1960 6.92 million
1961 7.12 million +2.9%
1962 7.33 million +3.0%
1963 7.55 million +3.0%
1964 7.78 million +3.1%
1965 8.04 million +3.2%
1966 8.30 million +3.3%
1967 8.57 million +3.3%
1968 8.85 million +3.2%
1969 9.13 million +3.2%
1970 9.41 million +3.1%
1971 9.69 million +2.9%
1972 9.96 million +2.8%
1973 10.23 million +2.7%
1974 10.51 million +2.7%
1975 10.78 million +2.6%
1976 11.04 million +2.5%
1977 11.30 million +2.3%
1978 11.56 million +2.2%
1979 11.81 million +2.2%
1980 12.08 million +2.3%
1981 12.36 million +2.3%
1982 12.68 million +2.5%
1983 13.02 million +2.7%
1984 13.38 million +2.8%
1985 13.74 million +2.7%
1986 14.09 million +2.5%
1987 14.43 million +2.5%
1988 14.77 million +2.3%
1989 15.09 million +2.2%
1990 15.37 million +1.9%
1991 15.64 million +1.7%
1992 15.94 million +1.9%
1993 16.13 million +1.2%
1994 16.37 million +1.5%
1995 16.70 million +2.0%
1996 16.94 million +1.4%
1997 17.01 million +0.4%
1998 16.89 million -0.7%
1999 16.70 million -1.1%
2000 16.46 million -1.4%
2001 16.19 million -1.6%
2002 15.92 million -1.6%
2003 15.68 million -1.5%
2004 15.50 million -1.2%
2005 15.38 million -0.8%
2006 15.31 million -0.5%
2007 15.27 million -0.2%
2008 15.29 million +0.1%
2009 15.35 million +0.4%
2010 15.39 million +0.3%
2011 15.43 million +0.3%
2012 15.54 million +0.7%
2013 15.69 million +0.9%
2014 15.85 million +1.0%
2015 16.06 million +1.3%
2016 16.22 million +1.0%
2017 16.29 million +0.4%
2018 16.33 million +0.2%
2019 16.34 million +0.1%
2020 16.35 million +0.0%
2021 16.37 million +0.1%
2022 16.42 million +0.3%
2023 16.49 million +0.4%
2024 16.57 million +0.5%
2025 16.66 million +0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 7.96 million 6.92 million 9.13 million 10
1970s 10.63 million 9.41 million 11.81 million 10
1980s 13.56 million 12.08 million 15.09 million 10
1990s 16.37 million 15.37 million 17.01 million 10
2000s 15.63 million 15.27 million 16.46 million 10
2010s 15.91 million 15.39 million 16.34 million 10
2020s 16.47 million 16.35 million 16.66 million 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 23 Angola 17.22 million compare
  2. 24 Yemen 17.14 million compare
  3. 25 Iraq 16.94 million compare
  4. 27 Mozambique 15.74 million compare
  5. 28 Algeria 14.20 million compare
  6. 29 Japan 13.86 million compare

See the full ranking of 265 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is population ages 0-14, total in South Africa?
Population ages 0-14, total in South Africa was 16.66 million in 2025, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), note: Staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects., publi.
What is the highest population ages 0-14, total recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 17.01 million in 1997.
What is the lowest population ages 0-14, total recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 6.92 million in 1960.
How does South Africa rank for population ages 0-14, total?
South Africa ranks 26th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
Is population ages 0-14, total rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), note: Staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects., publi, published as part of Population ages 0-14, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population ages 0-14, total in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), note: Staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects., publi. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/population-ages-0-14-total/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Population ages 0-14, total
Source
Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), note: Staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects., publi
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
265 places, 17,460 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Total population between the ages 0 to 14. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.