Population, female in South Africa
South Africa: Population, female was 33.24 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
33.24 million
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
24th
of 218 countries
All-time high
33.24 million
in 2025
All-time low
8.00 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population, female in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
Analysis
In 2025, population, female in South Africa stood at 33.24 million. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 13.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, female in South Africa peaked at 33.24 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 8.00 million, in 1960.
South Africa ranks 24th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population, female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.00 million | — |
| 1961 | 8.25 million | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 8.51 million | +3.2% |
| 1963 | 8.80 million | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 9.09 million | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 9.39 million | +3.3% |
| 1966 | 9.71 million | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 10.03 million | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 10.37 million | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 10.71 million | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 11.06 million | +3.2% |
| 1971 | 11.39 million | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 11.71 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 12.04 million | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 12.37 million | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 12.71 million | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 13.05 million | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 13.39 million | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 13.74 million | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 14.11 million | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 14.54 million | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 15.05 million | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 15.59 million | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 16.15 million | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 16.73 million | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 17.30 million | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 17.84 million | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 18.38 million | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 18.93 million | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 19.48 million | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 20.01 million | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 20.48 million | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 20.99 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 21.24 million | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 21.73 million | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 22.60 million | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 23.36 million | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 23.95 million | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 24.24 million | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 24.51 million | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 24.74 million | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 24.96 million | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 25.17 million | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 25.39 million | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 25.61 million | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 25.84 million | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 26.07 million | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 26.31 million | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 26.58 million | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 26.87 million | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 27.16 million | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 27.47 million | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 27.84 million | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 28.28 million | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 28.70 million | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 29.19 million | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 29.48 million | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 29.73 million | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 30.21 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 30.70 million | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 31.18 million | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 31.65 million | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 32.07 million | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 32.46 million | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 32.85 million | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 33.24 million | +1.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 33.24 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.44 million, 9.6× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 33.24 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.54 million, 4.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.29 million | 8.00 million | 10.71 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.55 million | 11.06 million | 14.11 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.00 million | 14.54 million | 19.48 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.31 million | 20.01 million | 24.51 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.75 million | 24.74 million | 26.87 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.88 million | 27.16 million | 30.70 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.24 million | 31.18 million | 33.24 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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, female in South Africa?
- Population, female in South Africa was 33.24 million in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population, female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 33.24 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population, female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.00 million in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for population, female?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population, female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.9%. 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, female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Female population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all female residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.