Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in South Africa
South Africa: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 36.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
36.2%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
108th
of 218 countries
All-time high
53.3%
in 1960
All-time low
36.2%
in 2025
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population in South Africa stood at 36.2%. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in South Africa peaked at 53.3% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 36.2%, in 2025.
South Africa ranks 108th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 53.3% | — |
| 1961 | 53.1% | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 53.0% | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 52.9% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 52.7% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 52.6% | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 52.5% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 52.5% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 52.4% | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 52.3% | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 52.2% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 52.2% | -0.1% |
| 1972 | 52.1% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 52.0% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 52.0% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 51.9% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 51.9% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 51.8% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 51.8% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 51.7% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 51.6% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 51.5% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 51.4% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 51.2% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 51.0% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 50.8% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 50.4% | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 49.9% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 49.3% | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 48.6% | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 48.0% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 47.6% | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 47.3% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 47.1% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 46.9% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 46.7% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 46.4% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 46.0% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 45.3% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 44.6% | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 43.7% | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 43.0% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 42.3% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 41.6% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 40.9% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 40.2% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 39.5% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 38.8% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 38.2% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 37.7% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 37.4% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 37.1% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 37.0% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 36.9% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 36.9% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 36.8% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 36.7% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 36.7% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 36.6% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 36.6% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 36.6% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 36.5% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 36.5% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 36.4% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 36.3% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 36.2% | -0.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 36.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.6%, 1.0× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 36.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 55.1%, 66% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 52.7% | 52.3% | 53.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 52.0% | 51.7% | 52.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.6% | 48.6% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 46.6% | 44.6% | 48.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.6% | 37.7% | 43.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.9% | 36.6% | 37.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.4% | 36.2% | 36.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1917 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 1.49 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in South Africa?
- Rural population in South Africa was 36.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 53.3% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.2% in 2025.
- How does South Africa rank for rural population?
- South Africa ranks 108th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). 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
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.