Demographics of South Africa

Demographics of South Africa

Population of South Africa, 1961–2008
Population 55,908,900 (July 2016 est.)[1]
Density 45.78/km2
Growth rate 1.34%[2]
Birth rate 19.61 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Death rate 16.99 deaths/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Life expectancy 61 years (2012 est.)
  male 59 years (2012 est.)
  female 63 years (2012 est.)
Fertility rate 2.4 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Infant mortality rate 43.78 deaths/1,000
Age structure
0–14 years 28.9% (male 7,093,328/female 7,061,579)
15–64 years 65.8% (male 16,275,424/female 15,984,181)
65 and over 5.4% (male 1,075,117/female 1,562,860) (2010 est.)
Sex ratio
Total 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
At birth 1.02 male(s)/female
Under 15 1 male(s)/female
15–64 years 1.02 male(s)/female
65 and over 0.68 male(s)/female
Nationality
Nationality South African
Language
Official See Languages of South Africa

The demographics of South Africa encompasses about 56[1] million people of diverse origins, cultures, languages, and religions. The last census was held in 2011 and the next will be taken anywhere from 2016–2021.

In 2011, Statistics South Africa counted 2.1 million foreigners in total.[3] However, numerous reports suggest that that is a vast underestimation. The real figure may in fact be as high as five million,[4] including some three million Zimbabweans.[5]

Population

Historical population

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1100,000    
1000300,000+0.11%
1500600,000+0.14%
1600700,000+0.15%
17001,000,000+0.36%
18201,550,000+0.37%
18702,547,000+1.00%
19045,175,463+2.11%
19115,972,757+2.07%
19136,153,000+1.50%
19216,927,403+1.49%
19369,587,863+2.19%
194611,415,925+1.76%
195013,683,162+4.63%
195515,384,557+2.37%
196017,396,367+2.49%
197022,502,502+2.61%
198029,077,143+2.60%
199036,793,490+2.38%
199541,426,810+2.40%
200144,819,777+1.32%
200748,502,063+1.32%
201151,770,560+1.64%
201554,960,000+1.51%
Note: Population estimates (1 BCE - 1870 BCE) are deduced from quantitative macroeconomic historical calculations. 1 (est.), 1000 (est.), 1500 (est.), 1600 (est.), 1700 (est.), 1820 (est.), 1870 (est.), 1913,[6] 1904[7] 1904-1946,[8][9][10] 1950-2010,[11] 2001, 2011, 2015[12]

U.N. population projections: 2010 to 2050

Population projections
YearPop.±%
201554,957,000    
202057,296,000+4.3%
202559,702,000+4.2%
203061,836,000+3.6%
203563,670,000+3.0%
204065,413,000+2.7%
204567,075,000+2.5%
205068,642,000+2.3%
Source: United Nations Secretariat[13]

Age and population estimates: 1950 to 2010

According to the 2010 revision of the United Nations Secretariat's World Population Prospects, South Africa's total population was 50,133,000 in 2010, compared to only 13,683,000 in 1950. In 2010, 30.1% of the people were children under the age of 15, 65.2% were between 15 and 64 years of age, and 4.6% were 65 or older.[14] All population estimates are rounded to the nearest thousand.

Year Total population Percentage
under 15
years old
Percentage
15 to 64
years old
Percentage
at least 65
years old
1950 13,683,00038.657.83.6
1955 15,385,00039.956.43.8
1960 17,396,00040.955.23.9
1965 19,814,00041.954.23.9
1970 22,502,00042.154.53.4
1975 25,699,00041.954.93.2
1980 29,077,00041.555.33.1
1985 32,983,00040.556.43.1
1990 36,794,00038.957.93.2
1995 41,402,00036.060.63.4
2000 44,760,00033.762.63.7
2005 47,793,00031.764.24.1
2010 50,133,00030.165.24.6
2015 54,490,00029.263.07.7

Historical censuses

1904 Census

South African Population Figures for the 1904 Census. Source:[7]

Colony Cape Colony Natal Transvaal Orange River
Colony
Total Percent
Black  1,424,787 904,041 937,127 225,101 3,491,056 67.5%
White 579,741 97,109 297,277 142,679 1,116,805 21.6%
Coloured 395,034 6,686 24,226 19,282 445,228 8.6%
Asiatic 10,242 100,918 11,321 253 122,734 2.4%
Total 2,409,804 1,108,754 1,269,951 387,315 5,175,463 100.0%
% of S. Africa 46.6% 21.4% 24.5% 7.5% 100%

1960 Census

Sources: Statesman's Year-Book 1967–1968;[15] Europa Year Book 1969 [16]

Province Cape of
Good Hope
Natal Transvaal Orange
Free State
Total Percent
Bantu 3,011,080 2,199,920 4,633,378 1,083,886 10,928,264 68.3%
White 1,003,207 340,235 1,468,305 276,745 3,088,492 19.3%
Coloured 1,330,089 45,253 108,007 25,909 1,509,258 9.4%
Asiatic 18,477 394,854 63,787 7 477,125 3.0%
Total 5,362,853 2,980,262 6,273,477 1,386,547 16,003,139 100.0%
% of S. Africa 33.5% 18.6% 39.2% 8.7% 100.0%

Fertility Rate (The Demographic Health Survey)[17]

Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and CBR (Crude Birth Rate):

Year CBR (Total) TFR (Total) CBR (Urban) TFR (Urban) CBR (Rural) TFR (Rural)
1998 21,90 2,90 (2,3) 19,2 2,25 (1,8) 25,4 3,92 (2,9)
2003 17,5 2,1 (1,6) 18,4 2,1 (1,6) 16,1 2,2 (1,6)

Vital statistics

Registration of vital events in South Africa has improved considerably during the past decade, but still not considered to be complete for black South Africans. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.[14] (Natural increase or decrease over a time period is the difference between that period's live births and deaths, before accounting for inward or outward migration.)

United Nations estimates, 2010

Period Live births per year Deaths per year Natural Increase per year Crude Birth Rate
(per 1,000 per year)
Crude Death Rate
(per 1,000 per year)
Natural Increase
(per 1,000 per year)
Total Fertility Rate (over av'ge woman's life) Infant Mortality Rate (per 100,000 live births)
1950–1955 629 000 295 000+ 334 00043.320.3+ 23.06.5096
1955–1960 697 000 297 000+ 400 00042.518.1+ 24.46.5091
1960–1965 774 000 310 000+ 464 00041.616.7+ 25.06.3087
1965–1970 808 000 312 000+ 496 00038.214.7+ 23.55.7084
1970–1975 909 000 317 000+ 592 00037.713.1+ 24.65.4777
1975–1980 980 000 319 000+ 661 00035.811.7+ 24.15.0071
1980–1985 1 052 000 307 000+ 745 00033.9 9.9+ 24.04.5661
1985–1990 1 086 000 299 000+ 787 00031.1 8.6+ 22.54.0053
1990–1995 1 073 000 332 000+ 742 00027.5 8.5+ 19.03.3451
1995–2000 1 082 000 450 000+ 632 00025.110.4+ 14.72.9556
2000–2005 1 111 000 645 000+ 466 00024.013.9+ 10.12.8059
2005–2010 1 074 000 746 000+ 328 00021.915.2+  6.72.5555
2010–2015 21.012.5+  8.52.4055
Total Fertility Rate = average number of children over a woman's lifetime; Infant Mortality Rate per 100,000 live births
Year Live births Deaths Natural increase Crude birth rate
(per 1,000)
Crude death rate
(per 1,000)
Natural increase
(per 1,000)
Fertility rates
(per woman)
Average population
2002 1 118 916 608 480 510 436 24,5 13,3 11,2 2,79
2003 1 127 380 643 285 484 095 24,4 13,9 10,5 2,77
2004 1 134 751 671 101 463 650 24,3 14,4 9,9 2,75
2005 1 141 351 682 059 459 292 24,1 14,4 9,7 2,73
2006 1 150 015 625 210 524 805 24,0 13,0 11,0 2,71
2007 1 162 056 564 663 597 393 23,9 11,6 12,3 2,70
2008 1 175 212 542 038 633 174 23,8 11,0 12,8 2,68
2009 1 188 662 528 342 660 320 23,7 10,5 13,2 2,66
2010 1 201 175 535 396 665 779 23,6 10,5 13,1 2,64
2011 1 211 011 556 087 654 924 23,4 10,7 12,7 2,61
2012 1 222 324 555 921 666 403 23,2 10,6 12,6 2,60
2013 1 232 668 539 880 692 788 23,1 10,1 13,0 2,58 52 982 000
2014 1 242 070 516 929 725 141 22,9 9,5 13,4 2,57
2015 1 250 782 531 965 718 817 22,7 9,6 13,1 2,55 54 956 900

Age and sex distribution

South African National Census of 2011

Population pyramid, 2005
Age group Male Female percent Female Total percent of S.A.
under 5 2867585 49.6% 2817867 5685452 11.0%
5–9 2425181 49.7% 2394570 4819751 9.3%
10–14 2344275 49.0% 2250611 4594886 8.9%
15–19 2498572 50.1% 2504905 5003477 9.7%
20–24 2694646 49.9% 2679896 5374542 10.4%
25–29 2542682 49.7% 2516635 5059317 9.8%
30–34 2036206 49.5% 1992804 4029010 7.8%
35–39 1709347 50.7% 1758420 3467767 6.7%
40–44 1402328 52.4% 1546291 2948619 5.7%
45–49 1195740 54.4% 1424543 2620283 5.1%
50–54 1011349 54.4% 1206940 2218289 4.3%
55–59 811950 54.8% 985458 1797408 3.5%
60–64 612364 55.8% 773404 1385768 2.7%
65–69 401548 58.1% 556256 957804 1.9%
70–74 293498 60.8% 454832 748330 1.4%
75–79 165283 65.7% 315984 481267 0.9%
80–84 100694 68.8% 222222 322916 0.6%
85-plus 75543 70.5% 180130 255673 0.5%
TOTAL 25188791 51.3% 26581769 51770560 100%
Number of children 0–14 Number of women 15–49 Proportion Fertility Rate
15812264 13866489 1.14 2.35
Age group Population Male Female Percent
0–14 15812268 7969880 7842388 31.26
15–64 32235534 15538934 16696600 63.72
65+ 2538955 1006222 1532733 5.02

Age and race distribution

South African National Census of 2011

Age distribution within each racial group

By generation
Age group All races % of All Black African % of Blacks Coloured % of Col'd White % of Whites Indian or other Asian % of Asians Others % of others
0–14 15,100,08929.2% 12,702,32431.0% 1,311,81128.4% 771,18716.8% 258,60220.1% 56,16420.0%
15–64 33,904,47965.5% 26,502,32964.6% 3,085,68466.9% 3,165,96568.9% 939,37973.0% 211,12675.3%
65-plus 2,765,9925.3% 1,796,2854.4% 217,9064.7% 649,68614.2% 88,9496.9% 13,1644.7%
All ages51,770,560100% 41,000,938(100%) 4,615,401(100%) 4,586,838(100%) 1,286,930(100%) 280,454(100%)
% of SA100% 79.20% 8.92% 8.86% 2.49% 0.54%
By five-year cohorts
Age group All races % of All Black African % of Blacks Coloured % of Col'd White % of Whites Indian or Asian % of Asians Others % of others
under 5 5,685,45211.0% 4,830,44211.8% 470,09010.2% 268,2675.8% 90,7957.1% 25,8579.2%
5 to 9 4,819,7519.3% 4,054,0199.9% 421,0389.1% 245,5675.4% 82,5846.4% 16,5435.9%
10 to 14 4,594,8868.9% 3,817,8639.3% 420,6839.1% 257,3535.6% 85,2236.6% 13,7644.9%
15 to 19 5,003,4779.7% 4,171,45010.2% 431,2639.3% 284,8966.2% 98,5567.7% 17,3126.2%
20 to 24 5,374,54210.4% 4,479,84810.9% 428,1599.3% 313,6166.8% 115,9499.0% 36,97013.2%
25 to 29 5,059,3179.8% 4,156,75910.1% 385,7508.4% 336,3557.3% 125,5219.8% 44,93216.0%
30 to 34 4,029,0107.8% 3,237,6777.9% 326,8037.1% 318,3296.9% 113,3988.8% 32,80211.7%
35 to 39 3,467,7676.7% 2,674,1546.5% 319,2316.9% 342,3167.5% 108,1208.4% 23,9458.5%
40 to 44 2,948,6185.7% 2,164,7385.3% 319,2796.9% 351,4737.7% 95,9047.5% 17,2256.1%
45 to 49 2,620,2835.1% 1,902,1334.6% 294,4676.4% 325,1857.1% 85,6216.7% 12,8774.6%
50 to 54 2,218,2894.3% 1,559,9263.8% 247,5355.4% 324,5397.1% 75,7835.9% 10,5063.7%
55 to 59 1,797,4083.5% 1,242,2013.0% 186,1484.0% 295,5966.4% 65,3325.1% 8,1322.9%
60 to 64 1,385,7682.7% 913,4412.2% 137,0503.0% 273,6576.0% 55,1944.3% 6,4252.3%
65 to 69 957,8051.9% 601,0601.5% 86,2851.9% 227,3085.0% 38,2773.0% 4,8751.7%
70 to 74 748,3311.4% 485,8521.2% 60,3111.3% 173,4343.8% 25,0841.9% 3,6491.3%
75 to 79 481,2670.9% 310,7080.8% 37,4410.8% 116,9222.5% 13,9541.1% 2,2420.8%
80 to 84 322,9160.6% 218,1450.5% 19,2780.4% 77,0731.7% 7,1550.6% 1,2650.5%
85-plus 255,6730.5% 180,5200.4% 14,5910.3% 54,9491.2% 4,4790.3% 1,1330.4%
All ages51,770,560100% 41,000,938(100%) 4,615,401(100%) 4,586,838(100%) 1,286,930(100%) 280,454(100%)
% of SA100% 79.20% 8.92% 8.86% 2.49% 0.54%
Age group All races Black African % of age grp Coloured % of age grp White % of age grp Indian or Asian % of age grp Other % of age grp
under 5 5,685,452 4,830,44285.0% 470,0908.3% 268,2674.7% 90,7951.6% 25,8570.5%
5 to 9 4,819,751 4,054,01984.1% 421,0388.7% 245,5675.1% 82,5841.7% 16,5430.5%
10 to 14 4,594,886 3,817,86383.1% 420,6839,1% 257,3535.6% 85,2231.9% 13,7640.3%
15 to 19 5,003,477 4,171,45083.4% 431,2638.6% 284,8965.7% 98,5562.0% 17,3120.3%
20 to 24 5,374,542 4,479,84883.4% 428,1598.0% 313,6165.8% 115,9492.2% 36,9700.7%
25 to 29 5,059,317 4,156,75982.2% 385,7507.6% 336,3556.6% 125,5212.5% 44,9320.9%
30 to 34 4,029,010 3,237,67780.4% 326,8038.1% 318,3297.9% 113,3982.8% 32,8020.8%
35 to 39 3,467,767 2,674,15477.1% 319,2319.2% 342,3169.9% 108,1203.1% 23,9450.7%
40 to 44 2,948,618 2,164,73873.4% 319,27910.8% 351,47311.9% 95,9043.3% 17,2250.6%
45 to 49 2,620,283 1,902,13372.6% 294,46711.2% 325,18512.4% 85,6213.3% 12,8770.5%
50 to 54 2,218,289 1,559,92670.3% 247,53511.2% 324,53914.6% 75,7833.4% 10,5060.5%
55 to 59 1,797,408 1,242,20169.1% 186,14810.4% 295,59616.4% 65,3323.6% 8,1320.5%
60 to 64 1,385,768 913,44165.9% 137,0509.9% 273,65719.7% 55,1944.0% 6,4250.5%
65 to 69 957,805 601,06062.8% 86,2859.0% 227,30823.7% 38,2774.0% 4,8750.5%
70 to 74 748,331 485,85264.9% 60,3118.1% 173,43423.2% 25,0843.4% 3,6490.5%
75 to 79 481,267 310,70864.6% 37,4417.8% 116,92224.3% 13,9542.9% 2,2420.5%
80 to 84 322,916 218,14567.6% 19,2786.0% 77,07323.9% 7,1552.2% 1,2650.4%
85-plus 255,673 180,52070.6% 14,5915.7% 54,94921.5% 4,4791.8% 1,1330.4%
All ages51,770,560 41,000,93879.20% 4,615,4018.92% 4,586,8388.86% 1,286,9302.49% 280,4540.54%

Racial composition of each age group in 2015 (estimates)

Age group All races % of All Black African % of Blacks Coloured % of Col'd White % of Whites Indian or other Asian % of Asians
0–14 16,612,043 30.23% 14,244,663 32.21% 1,288,601 26.66% 789,49217.41% 289,28521.24%
15–64 35,465,49964.53% 28,170,79763.69% 3,299,77168.28% 3,026,47566.75% 968,64971.12%
65-plus 2,879,3785.24% 1,812,5354.10% 244,5445.06% 718,04115.84% 104.0687.64%
All ages54,956,920100% 44,227,995(100%) 4,832,916(100%) 4,534,008(100%) 1,362,002(100%)
% of SA100% 80.48% 8.79% 8.25% 2.48%
Age group All races % of All Black African % of Blacks Coloured % of Col'd White % of Whites Indian or Asian % of Asians
under 5 5,936,35010.80% 5,156,50811.66% 426,1568.82% 254,9785.62% 98,7087.25%
5 to 9 5,537,22510.08% 4,746,11510.73% 430,6668.91% 263,3785.81% 97,0657.13%
10 to 14 5,138,4689.35% 4,342,0409.82% 431,7798.93% 271,1365.98% 93,5126.87%
15 to 19 5,124,3739.32% 4,292,2209.70% 437,4129.05% 295,7336.52% 99,0077.27%
20 to 24 5,302,2469.65% 4,461,51510.09% 426,0138.81% 306,4156.76% 108,3047.95%
25 to 29 5,232,2549.52% 4,437,57010.03% 389,4298.06% 287,4856.34% 117,7718.65%
30 to 34 4,307,6937.84% 3,535,1737.99% 366,9557.59% 281,3586.21% 124,2069.12%
35 to 39 3,774,9216.87% 3,001,9896.79% 376,4887.79% 279,4396.16% 117,0058.59%
40 to 44 3,204,9525.83% 2,444,9725.53% 368,8867.63% 288,3706.36% 102,7257.54%
45 to 49 2,738,5804.98% 2,004,0094.53% 307,3636.36% 335,4347.40% 91,7746.74%
50 to 54 2,297,5864.18% 1,619,2493.66% 264,5935.47% 332,9777.34% 80,7675.93%
55 to 59 1,942,9423.54% 1,334,8003.02% 209,9334.34% 328,9997.26% 69,2105.08%
60 to 64 1,539,9532.80% 1,039,3012.35% 152,6983.16% 290,0756.40% 57,8794.25%
65 to 69 1,153,1592.10% 737,5811.67% 105,4032.18% 265,8185.86% 44,3573.26%
70 to 74 805,1141.46% 511,7231.16% 65,4651.35% 198,8764.39% 28,9492.13
75 to 79 502,0050.91% 313,8000.71% 41,9780.87% 128,6752.84% 17,5521.29%
80-plus 419,1000.76% 249,4310.56% 31,6980.66% 124,6722.75% 13,2100.97%
All ages54,956,920100% 44,227,995(100%) 4,832,916(100%) 4,534,008(100%) 1,362,002(100%)
% of SA100% 80.48% 8.79% 8.25% 2.48%
Age group All races Black African % of age grp Coloured % of age grp White % of age grp Indian or Asian % of age grp
under 5 5,936,350 5,156,50886.86% 426,1567.18% 254,9784.30% 98,7081.66%
5 to 9 5,537,225 4,746,11585.71% 430,6667.78% 263,3784.76% 97,0651.75%
10 to 14 5,138,468 4,342,04084.50% 431,7798.40% 271,1365.28% 93,5121.82%
15 to 19 5,124,373 4,292,22083.76% 437,4128.54% 295,7335.77% 99,0071.93%
20 to 24 5,302,246 4,461,51584.14% 426,0138.03% 306,4155.78% 108,3042.04%
25 to 29 5,232,254 4,437,57084.81% 389,4297.44% 287,4855.49% 117,7712.25%
30 to 34 4,307,693 3,535,17382.07% 366,9558.52% 281,3586.53% 124,2062.88%
35 to 39 3,774,921 3,001,98979.52% 376,4889.97% 279,4397.40% 117,0053.10%
40 to 44 3,204,952 2,444,97276.29% 368,88611.51% 288,3709.00% 102,7253.21%
45 to 49 2,738,580 2,004,00973.18% 307,36311.22% 335,43412.25% 91,7743.35%
50 to 54 2,297,586 1,619,24970.48% 264,59311.52% 332,97714.49% 80,7673.52%
55 to 59 1,942,942 1,334,80068.70% 209,93310.80% 328,99916.93% 69,2103.56%
60 to 64 1,539,953 1,039,30167.49% 152,6989.92% 290,07518.84% 57,8793.76%
65 to 69 1,153,159 737,58163.96% 105,4039.14% 265,81823.05% 44,3573.85%
70 to 74 805,114 511,72363.56% 65,4658.13% 198,87624.70% 28,9493.60%
75 to 79 502,005 313,80062.51% 41,9788.36% 128,67525.63% 17,5523.50%
80-plus 419,100 249,43159.52% 31,6987.56% 124,67229.75% 13,2103.15%
All ages54,956,920 44,227,995 4,832,916 4,534,008 1,362,002
% of SA 80.48% 8.79% 8.25% 2.48%

Ethnic groups

Annual per capita personal income by race group in South Africa relative to white levels.
Population density in South Africa (darker color = higher density)
Dominant population groups in South Africa.
  Black African
  Coloured
  Indian or other Asian
  White
  None dominant

Statistics South Africa asks people to describe themselves in the census in terms of five racial population groups.[18] The 2011 census figures for these groups were Black African at 80.2%, White at 8.4%, Coloured at 8.8%, Indian /Asian at 2.5%, and Other/Unspecified at 0.5%.[19]

The white population has experienced a sharp decline over time, due to Emigration and much lower fertility rates. The first census in South Africa in 1911 showed that whites made up 22% of the population; it declined to 16% in 1980,[20] and 8.9% in 2011.[21]:21

Languages

South Africa has eleven official languages:[22] IsiZulu[19] 22.7%, IsiXhosa[19] 16%, Afrikaans[19] 13.5%, English language [19] 9.6%, Sepedi [19] 9.1%, Setswana[19] 8%, Sesotho[19] 7.6%, Xitsonga[19] 4.5%, siSwati[19] 2.5%, Tshivenda[19] 2.4% and isiNdebele[19]2.1%.

In this regard it is third only to Bolivia and India in number. While all the languages are formally equal, some languages are spoken more than others. According to the 2011 census, the three most spoken first languages are Zulu (22.7%), Xhosa (16.0%), and Afrikaans (13.5%).[21]:23–25 Despite the fact that English is recognised as the language of commerce and science, it ranked fourth, and was spoken by only 9.6% of South Africans as a first language in 2011.[21]:23–25

The country also recognises several unofficial languages, including Fanagalo, Khoe, Lobedu, Nama, Northern Ndebele, Phuthi, San and South African Sign Language.[23] These unofficial languages may be used in certain official uses in limited areas where it has been determined that these languages are prevalent. Nevertheless, their populations are not such that they require nationwide recognition.

Many of the "unofficial languages" of the San and Khoikhoi people contain regional dialects stretching northwards into Namibia and Botswana, and elsewhere. These people, who are a physically distinct population from other Africans, have their own cultural identity based on their hunter-gatherer societies. They have been marginalised to a great extent, and many of their languages are in danger of becoming extinct.

Many white South Africans also speak other European languages, such as Portuguese (also spoken by black Angolans and Mozambicans), German, and Greek, while some Indians and other Asians in South Africa speak South Asian languages, such as Tamil, Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu and Telugu. Although many South Africans are of Huguenot (French) origin. South African French is spoken by fewer than 10,000 individuals country-wide. Congolese French is also spoken in South Africa by migrants.

The primary sign language of Deaf South Africans is South African Sign Language. Other sign languages among indigenous peoples are also used.

By ethnicity

In 2011, the first language was Zulu for 28.1% of Black residents, Xhosa for 19.8%, Northern Sotho for 11.2%, Tswana for 9.7%, Sesotho for 9.3%, Tsonga for 5.5%, Swati for 3.1%, Venda for 2.9%, English for 2.8%, Southern Ndebele for 2.6%, Afrikaans for 1.5%, while 3.4% had another first language.[24]

Among whites, Afrikaans was the first language for 59.1% of the population, compared to 35.0% for English. Other languages accounted for the remaining 5.9%.[24]

Religion

According to the 2001 national census, Christians accounted for 79.7% of the population. This includes Protestant (36.6%), Zionist Christian (11.1%), Pentecostal/Charismatic) (8.2%), Roman Catholic (7.1%), Methodist (6.8%), Dutch Reformed (6.7%), Anglican (3.8%); members of other Christian churches accounted for another 36% of the population. Muslims accounted for 1.5% of the population , Other 2.3%, and 1.4% were Unspecified and None 15.1%. [19]

African Indigenous Churches made up the largest of the Christian groups. Some believe that many people claiming no affiliation with any organised religion adhered to traditional indigenous religions. Many people have syncretic religious practices combining Christian and indigenous influences.[25]

Muslims are largely found among the Coloured and Indian ethnic groups. They have been joined by black or white South African converts as well as immigrants from other parts of Africa.[26] South African Muslims claim that their faith is the fastest-growing religion of conversion in the country, with the number of black Muslims growing sixfold, from 12 000 in 1991 to 74 700 in 2004[26][27]

The Hindu population has its roots in the British colonial period, but later waves of immigration from India have also contributed to it. Most Hindus are of South Asian origin, but there are many who come from mixed racial stock. Some are converts due to the efforts of Hindu missionaries such as ISKCON.

Other minority religions in South Africa are Sikhism, Jainism and Bahá'í Faith.[28]

By ethnicity

87.9% of Black residents are Christian, 9.5% have no religion, 0.2% are Muslim, 0.0% are Jewish, 0.0% are Hindu and 2.3% have other or undetermined beliefs.

71.8% of White residents are Christian, 23.8% have no religion, 0.2% are Muslim, 1.4% are Jewish, and 0.0% are Hindu. 2.7% have other or undetermined beliefs.

Immigration

South Africa hosts a sizeable refugee and asylum seeker population. According to the World Refugee Survey 2008, published by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, this population numbered approximately 144,700 in 2007.[29] Groups of refugees and asylum seekers numbering over 10,000 included people from Zimbabwe (48,400), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (24,800), and Somalia (12,900).[29] These populations mainly lived in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth.[29] Many refugees have now also started to work and live in rural areas in provinces such as Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

Statistics SA assumes in some of their calculations that there are less than 2 million immigrants in South Africa.[30] Other institutions, like the police and Médecins Sans Frontières place estimate the figure at 4 million.[31][32][33][34][35]

Immigration figures

Immigration assumptions by Statistics South Africa to South Africa based on race. Negative numbers represent net migration from South Africa to other countries.[36]

Year African Asian White
1985-2000 1 135 275 14 476 -304 112
2001-2005 769 038 23 335 -133 782
2006-2010 922 885 34 688 -112 046
2011-2015 1 067 936 40 929 -95 158

Largest municipalities

Graphs and maps

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Mid-year population estimates, 2016" (PDF). Statistics South Africa.
  2. "Mid-year population estimates, 2013" (PDF). Statistics South Africa.
  3. "Table 3.5, Statistical release (Revised) P0301.4, Census 2011" (PDF). Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  4. "Nowhere left to go". Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  5. "Escape From Mugabe: Zimbabwe's Exodus". Archived from the original on 24 January 2016.
  6. Angus Maddison (2010). "Statistics on World Population, GDP and Per Capita GDP, 1-2008 AD". University of Groningen. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  7. 1 2 Smuts I: The Sanguine Years 1870–1919, W.K. Hancock, Cambridge University Press, 1962, pg 219
  8. The Statesman's Year-Book 1977–1978 (ed. John Paxton), St. Martin's Press, New York (& Macmillan, London), 1977, page 1296
  9. , City of Cape Town / Isixeko Sasekapa, Stad Kaapstad: Metropolitan Municipality & Main Places – Statistics & Maps on City Population
  10. , South Africa: Provinces & Major Urban Areas – Statistics & Maps on City Population
  11. Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat (2015). "Total Population - Both Sexes (XLS, 3.74 MB) - 2015 revision". United Nations. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  12. "Mid-year population estimates" (PDF). Statistics South Africa. 23 July 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  13. "World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision". UN. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  14. 1 2 Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision
  15. The Statesman's Year-Book, 1967–1968 (104th annual edition), edited by S.H. Steinberg, Macmillan, London; St. Martin's Press, New York, 1967, pages 1405–1424
  16. The Europa Year Book 1969, Volume II: Africa, The Americas, Asia, Australasia, Europa Publications, London, 1969, page 1286
  17. http://www.dhsprogram.com/
  18. Lehohla, Pali (5 May 2005). "Debate over race and censuses not peculiar to SA". Business Report. Retrieved 25 August 2013. Others pointed out that the repeal of the Population Registration Act in 1991 removed any legal basis for specifying 'race'. The Identification Act of 1997 makes no mention of race. On the other hand, the Employment Equity Act speaks of 'designated groups' being 'black people, women and people with disabilities'. The Act defines 'black' as referring to 'Africans, coloureds and Indians'. Apartheid and the racial identification which underpinned it explicitly linked race with differential access to resources and power. If the post-apartheid order was committed to remedying this, race would have to be included in surveys and censuses, so that progress in eradicating the consequences of apartheid could be measured and monitored. This was the reasoning that led to a 'self-identifying' question about 'race' or 'population group' in both the 1996 and 2001 population censuses, and in Statistics SA's household survey programme.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Africa :: SOUTH AFRICA". CIA The World Factbook.
  20. Study Commission on U.S. Policy toward Southern Africa (U.S.) (1981). South Africa: time running out : the report of the Study Commission on U.S. Policy Toward Southern Africa. University of California Press. p. 42. ISBN 0-520-04547-5.
  21. 1 2 3 Census 2011: Census in brief (PDF). Pretoria: Statistics South Africa. 2012. ISBN 9780621413885.
  22. "Constitution of South Africa, Chapter 1, Section 6". Fs.gov.za. Archived from the original on 29 July 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  23. "The languages of South Africa". SouthAfrica.info. 4 February 1997. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  24. 1 2 "Community profiles > Census 2011". Statistics South Africa Superweb. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  25. Department of State, USA.
  26. 1 2 "In South Africa, many blacks convert to Islam".
  27. "Muslims say their faith growing fast in Africa". Religionnewsblog.com. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  28. "South Africa – Section I. Religious Demography". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 15 July 2006.
  29. 1 2 3 "World Refugee Survey 2008". U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. 19 June 2008.
  30. "P03022009_6". Statssa.gov.za. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  31. So where are Zimbabweans going?, BBC News. 8 November 2005.
  32. SA population may be much larger than previously thought Beeld 1 June 2009.
  33. Reference to 1996 HSRC study
  34. South African Police Service 2009 Annual Report Archived 25 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine. page 9 indicating the number exceeds 3 million
  35. "Mid-year population estimates 2014" (PDF). Statsitcs South Africa. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2015.

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