> > World Population >> Africa >> South Africa
South Africa Population 2023
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. As per the UN World Population Prospects report, the population of South Africa in 2022 is 59,893,886 (60 million or 6 crores)
Estimated Population of South Africa in 2023: 60.4 million or 6.04 Crores
read more about the top countries in Africa by population
| South Africa | 2022 Population |
| Total Population | 59,893,886 |
| 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 |
Religion in South Africa
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
read about religion in Africa
Top 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.
Read more about Indian Population in South Africa
Source: United Nation World Populations Prospects
*Fertility rate, the average number of children born to women during their reproductive years.
**Infant mortality rate is the number of deaths per 1,000 live births of children under one year of age.