Rural population, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Rural population, per square kilometre was 18.98 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
18.98 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
135th
of 215 countries
All-time high
18.98 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
7.41 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 18.98 units per square kilometre for rural population, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 13.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 18.98 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 7.41 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 135th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 7.41 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 7.61 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 7.82 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 8.05 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 8.28 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 8.53 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 8.78 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 9.05 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 9.32 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1970 | 9.59 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 9.86 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 10.14 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 10.42 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 10.71 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 11 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 11.29 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 11.59 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 11.89 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 12.2 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 12.56 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 12.96 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 13.39 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 13.82 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 14.26 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 14.67 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 15.04 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 15.35 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 15.63 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 15.88 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 16.13 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 16.36 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 16.56 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 16.81 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 17.02 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 17.15 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 17.27 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 17.32 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 17.28 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 17.16 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 17 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 16.86 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 16.76 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 16.64 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 16.52 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 16.39 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 16.27 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 16.17 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 16.11 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 16.09 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 16.12 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 16.23 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 16.42 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 16.65 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 16.89 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 17.2 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 17.33 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 17.42 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 17.7 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 17.97 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 18.25 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 18.53 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 18.78 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 18.98 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.32 units per square kilometre | 7.41 units per square kilometre | 9.32 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 10.87 units per square kilometre | 9.59 units per square kilometre | 12.2 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.36 units per square kilometre | 12.56 units per square kilometre | 15.88 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.91 units per square kilometre | 16.13 units per square kilometre | 17.32 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.48 units per square kilometre | 16.09 units per square kilometre | 17 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 17 units per square kilometre | 16.12 units per square kilometre | 17.97 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.64 units per square kilometre | 18.25 units per square kilometre | 18.98 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 132 Andorra 19.23 units per square kilometre compare
- 133 Spain 19.23 units per square kilometre compare
- 134 Equatorial Guinea 19.02 units per square kilometre compare
- 136 Eritrea 18.7 units per square kilometre compare
- 137 Guam 18.09 units per square kilometre compare
- 138 Sudan 17.47 units per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in South Africa was 18.98 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 18.98 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.41 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 135th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre 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 Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.