Population ages 15-64, female in South Africa
South Africa: Population ages 15-64, female was 66.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
66.9%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
61st
of 218 countries
All-time high
66.9%
in 2024
All-time low
53.5%
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population ages 15-64, female in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of female population.
Analysis
In 2025, population ages 15-64, female in South Africa stood at 66.9%.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 15-64, female in South Africa peaked at 66.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 53.5%, in 1960.
That places South Africa 61st out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 15-64, female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of female population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 53.5% | — |
| 1961 | 53.6% | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 53.7% | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 53.9% | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 54.0% | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 54.0% | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 54.0% | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 54.0% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 54.1% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 54.1% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 54.1% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 54.1% | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 54.0% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 54.0% | -0.0% |
| 1974 | 54.0% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 54.1% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 54.1% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 54.2% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 54.3% | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 54.5% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 54.8% | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 55.2% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 55.6% | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 55.9% | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 56.2% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 56.4% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 56.6% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 56.8% | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 57.0% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 57.3% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 57.6% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 57.8% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 58.0% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 57.9% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 58.2% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 58.8% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 59.3% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 59.9% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 60.4% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 61.0% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 61.7% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 62.4% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 63.1% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 63.7% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 64.2% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 64.6% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 64.9% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 65.2% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 65.4% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 65.5% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 65.7% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 66.0% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 66.1% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 66.2% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 66.3% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 66.4% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 66.2% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 66.1% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 66.3% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 66.4% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 66.6% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 66.8% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 66.9% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 66.9% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 66.9% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 66.9% | -0.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 66.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.9%, 1.0× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 66.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 57.5%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 53.9% | 53.5% | 54.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 54.1% | 54.0% | 54.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 56.2% | 54.8% | 57.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 58.9% | 57.6% | 61.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.1% | 61.7% | 65.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.2% | 65.7% | 66.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.8% | 66.6% | 66.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 58 Cuba 67.0% compare
- 59 Bangladesh 67.0% compare
- 60 Philippines 66.9% compare
- 62 Peru 66.8% compare
- 63 Syrian Arab Republic 66.8% compare
- 64 Cape Verde 66.8% compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 15-64, female in South Africa?
- Population ages 15-64, female in South Africa was 66.9% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population ages 15-64, female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 66.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest population ages 15-64, female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 53.5% in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for population ages 15-64, female?
- South Africa ranks 61st out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 15-64, female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population ages 15-64, female (% of female population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total female population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.