Rural population | South Africa – yearly data, chart and table

According to the World Bank’s estimate, the rural population of South Africa in 2024 amounted to 19 651 487, which is 0.298% less than in 2023, when it was  19 710 253 people. It has been falling in this country for already 3 years in a row. Over the entire period of data since 1960, this indicator has increased in 2.24 times. The lowest population of rural area was recorded in 1960, when it was 8 775 928 people. The highest value was in 1998, when the rural population in South Africa reached 20 370 864. World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects.
Aggregation of urban and rural population may not equal the total population due to differences in country coverage. There is no single consistent or universally accepted standard for distinguishing urban from rural areas, partly because of the wide diversity of situations across countries. Many countries classify areas as urban based on the size or characteristics of settlements. Others define urban areas by the presence of specific infrastructure and services, while some rely on administrative arrangements to make the distinction.