Population ages 15-64 in South Africa
South Africa: Population ages 15-64 was 67.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population ages 15-64 in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population ages 15-64 in South Africa is 67.4%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 15-64 in South Africa peaked at 67.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 54.2%, in 1971.
South Africa ranks 57th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 15-64 in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 54.5% | — |
| 1961 | 54.5% | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 54.5% | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 54.6% | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 54.6% | -0.0% |
| 1965 | 54.5% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 54.4% | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 54.3% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 54.3% | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 54.2% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 54.2% | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 54.2% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 54.2% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 54.3% | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 54.3% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 54.4% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 54.6% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 54.8% | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 55.0% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 55.3% | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 55.7% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 56.1% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 56.3% | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 56.6% | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 56.8% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 57.1% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 57.3% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 57.6% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 57.9% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 58.3% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 58.5% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 58.4% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 58.8% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 58.8% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 58.3% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 58.1% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 58.3% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 58.9% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 59.6% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 60.3% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 61.1% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 62.0% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 62.7% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 63.3% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 63.8% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 64.2% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 64.6% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 64.9% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 65.1% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 65.3% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 65.6% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 65.8% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 66.0% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 66.2% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 66.3% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 66.2% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 66.1% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 66.6% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 66.9% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 67.2% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 67.3% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 67.4% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 67.4% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 67.4% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 54.4% | 54.2% | 54.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 54.4% | 54.2% | 55.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 56.7% | 55.3% | 57.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 58.6% | 58.1% | 59.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 63.2% | 60.3% | 65.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.1% | 65.3% | 66.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.3% | 66.9% | 67.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 15-64 in South Africa?
- Population ages 15-64 in South Africa was 67.4% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population ages 15-64 recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 67.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest population ages 15-64 recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.2% in 1971.
- How does South Africa rank for population ages 15-64?
- South Africa ranks 57th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 15-64 rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population ages 15-64 (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.