South Africa is a diverse country with a rich history and complex demographics. Understanding the population structure and its evolution requires examining various aspects such as historical trends, language distribution, and religious affiliations. Let's delve into the details of South Africa's population.
Johannesburg, one of South Africa's largest cities. Source: Wikipedia
Historical Population Trends
The earliest creatures identified as human ancestors in South Africa are australopithecines. The first evidence of this was a child's skull found in the Taung quarry site, in the modern-day North-West province.
Here's a look at the historical population data of South Africa:
| Year | Population | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 300,000 | - |
| 1500 | 600,000 | +0.14% |
| 1600 | 700,000 | +0.15% |
| 1700 | 1,000,000 | +0.36% |
| 1820 | 1,550,000 | +0.37% |
| 1870 | 2,547,000 | +1.00% |
| 1904 | 5,175,463 | +2.11% |
| 1911 | 5,972,757 | +2.07% |
| 1913 | 6,153,000 | +1.50% |
| 1921 | 6,927,403 | +1.49% |
| 1936 | 9,587,863 | +2.19% |
| 1946 | 11,415,925 | +1.76% |
| 1950 | 13,683,162 | +4.63% |
| 1955 | 15,384,557 | +2.37% |
| 1960 | 17,396,367 | +2.49% |
| 1970 | 22,502,502 | +2.61% |
| 1980 | 29,077,143 | +2.60% |
| 1990 | 36,793,490 | +2.38% |
| 1995 | 41,426,810 | +2.40% |
| 2001 | 44,819,777 | +1.32% |
| 2007 | 48,502,063 | +1.32% |
| 2011 | 51,770,560 | +1.64% |
| 2016 | 55,653,654 | +1.46% |
| 2022 | 62,027,503 | +1.82% |
Historical population estimates (1 AD - 1870 AD) are deduced from quantitative macroeconomic historical calculations.
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According to the 2019 revision of the United Nations World Population Prospects, South Africa's total population was 55,386,000 in 2015, compared to only 13,628,000 in 1950.
Population Density of South Africa. Source: Wikipedia
Dominant Population Groups
The white percentage of the population has sharply declined. The first census in South Africa in 1911 showed that whites made up 22% of the population.
Languages
While all the languages are formally equal, some languages are spoken more than others. The country also recognises several unofficial languages, including Sekholokoe, Fanagalo, Khwe, Lobedu, Nama, Northern Ndebele, Phuthi and San. These unofficial languages may be used in certain official uses in limited areas where it has been determined that these languages are prevalent. 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.
Many white South Africans also speak other European languages, such as Portuguese (also spoken by black Angolans and Mozambicans), German, Serbian and Greek, while some Indians and other Asians in South Africa speak South Asian languages, such as Bhojpuri, 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. The primary sign language of deaf South Africans is South African Sign Language.
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Among whites, Afrikaans was the first language for 59.1% of the population, compared to 35.0% for English.
Languages of South Africa. Source: Wikipedia
Religion
According to the 2022 national census, Christians accounted for 85.3% 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 are largely found among the Coloured and Indian ethnic groups. 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.
90.1% of white residents are Christian, 4.9% have no religion, 0.3% are Muslim, 0.7% are Jewish, and 0.1% are Hindu.
Key Demographic Indicators
- Total: 28 years.
- Total: 27.4 years.
- Total population: 65.32 years.
South Africa hosts a sizeable refugee and asylum seeker population.
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Population pyramids: Powerful predictors of the future - Kim Preshoff
Immigration
In 2011, Statistics South Africa counted 2.1 million foreigners in total. Reports suggest that is an underestimation.
Statistics South Africa makes immigration assumptions based on race.
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