South Africa’s population has officially climbed to an estimated 63.1 million in 2025, according to the latest mid-year estimates released by StatsSA. The data reveals a steady population growth trend, with Gauteng leading as the country’s most densely populated province.
The figures show that Black Africans remain the majority group in the country, accounting for approximately 82% of the total population or about 51.6 million people. The coloured population stands at 5.3 million, white South Africans at 4.5 million, and the Indian/Asian group at around 1.6 million.
Women continue to slightly outnumber men, with females making up 51% of the population — roughly 32.2 million people.
Gauteng remains the population powerhouse, with 16.1 million residents, representing 25.5% of the national total. The province has seen substantial growth since 2002, adding more than 6 million people. KwaZulu-Natal ranks second with an estimated 12.2 million residents or 19.4% of the total population. In contrast, the Northern Cape remains the least populated province, with 1.38 million people — just 2.2% of the national figure.
Children under the age of 15 comprise about 26.2% of the population (16.5 million), while 6.6 million South Africans — approximately 10.5% — are aged 60 and older. Provinces like Limpopo (31.8%) and the Eastern Cape (30.2%) have the highest share of children, highlighting regional differences in population age structures.
Though South Africa remains a relatively young nation, the rising proportion of elderly citizens signals a gradual shift toward an ageing population.
