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South Africa Population 2025 & Religious Demographics: Trends & Insights
South Africa, officially known as the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country on the African continent. According to Statistics South Africa, the population as reported in the 2022 Census is approximately 62 million (or 6.2 crore). Additionally, the UN World Population Prospects report estimates that the population of South Africa will be around 61,673,081 (62 million) in 2025.
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| South Africa | 2022 Census |
| Total Population | 62,027,503 |
| Global Rank | 24th |
| Share of World Pop. | 0.76 % |
| Land Area | 1,214,470 sq. km (468,910 sq. mi) |
| Area Rank | 24th |
| Pop. Density | 49 persons/sq.km |
| Growth Rate | 0.86% |
| Fertility Rate* | 2.41 |
| Infant mortality rate** | 23.6 |
| Median Age | 27.6 years |
| Life Expectancy | 64.88 years |
| Urban Population | 66.7 |
Religious Demographics of South Africa(2025 Updated)
Christianity is the largest religion in South Africa and Its followed by 77.9% of the population. Traditional African religion accounts for 4.4% of the population. Non-Christian faiths account for 6.8%, and the remaining 10.90% are classified as unaffiliated, which can mean agnostic, atheist, or “nothing in particular.”
Other religion includes Muslims (1.60%), Hindus (1%), Jewish, Sikhs, and other smaller faiths.
Religion percentage in South Africa
| Religion | Percentage |
| Christians | 77.9% |
| No religion / Unaffiliated | 10.90% |
| Traditional African religion | 4.40% |
| Muslim | 1.60% |
| Hindu | 1.00% |
| Jewish | 0.10% |
| Other religions | 2.70% |
| Undetermined | 1.40% |
Christianity in South Africa
The majority of Christians in South Africa are members of various Protestant denominations followed by Roman Catholics and other smaller Christians. Christian category includes African Independent Church (including Zion Churches) at 25.40%, Pentecostal (15.2%), Roman Catholic (6.8%), Methodist (5%), Dutch Reformed (4.2%), and Anglican (3.2%)
| Christin affiliations | Percentage |
| African Independent Church | 25.40% |
| Pentecostal | 15.20% |
| Roman Catholic | 6.80% |
| Methodist | 5.00% |
| Reformed | 4.20% |
| Anglican | 3.20% |
| Other Protestant Churches | 5.30% |
| Other Christian denominations | 8.40% |
| Non-denominational Christian | 4.50% |
Source: Community Survey 2016
Projected Religious Composition (2010-2050)
Christianity continues to dominate in South Africa, but the unaffiliated population is increasing, becoming the second-largest group. Islam is also growing slightly, while Hinduism and other religions remain a small fraction of the total population.
| Year | Christianity | Unaffiliated | Islam | Hinduism | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.8% | 15.3% | 1.9% | 1.0% | <1% |
| 2020 | 81.2% | 14.9% | 1.7% | 1.1% | <1% |
| 2030 | 80.8% | 15.3% | 1.9% | 1.0% | <1% |
| 2040 | 80.5% | 15.4% | 2.1% | <1% | <1% |
| 2050 | 80.2% | 15.5% | 2.3% | <1% | <1% |
read about religion in Africa
Largest Cities in South Africa by Population
| # | Country | Region | Population |
| 1 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | 91,67,045 |
| 2 | Cape Town | Western Cape | 40,04,793 |
| 3 | Durban | KwaZulu-Natal | 36,61,911 |
| 4 | Pretoria | Gauteng | 24,37,000 |
| 5 | Port Elizabeth | Eastern Cape | 12,63,051 |
| 6 | Vereeniging | Gauteng | 9,57,528 |
| 7 | Soshanguve | Gauteng | 8,41,000 |
| 8 | East London, Eastern Cape | Eastern Cape | 8,10,528 |
| 9 | Bloemfontein | Free State | 7,59,693 |
| 10 | Pietermaritzburg | KwaZulu-Natal | 6,79,766 |
source: Census 2018
Indian Population in South Africa
Indian South Africans make around 2.5% of the South Africa population & approx population of Indians in South Africa as of 2021 is 15 Lakhs. The majority live in and around the city of Durban, making it one of the largest “Indian” populated cities outside of India.
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