South Africa’s Latest Population Statistics

South Africa’s population has increased by about 530 000 people to 49.99 million, according to Statistics South Africa’s Mid-Year Population Estimates.

This year’s estimates are up from last year’s updated estimate of 49.46 million.

The estimates also show that 51 percent (about 25.66 million) of the South African population is female.

Black Africans at 39.68 million constitute more than 79 percent of the total South African population while white people constitute 4.58 million, followed by coloured people at 4.42 million. The Indian/Asian population stands at 1.30 million.

Of the provinces, Gauteng was found to have the largest share of the country’s population at 11.19 million (22.4 percent). This was followed by KwaZulu-Natal at 21.3 percent. The Northern Cape, according to Stats SA, remains the province with the smallest amount of people.

Nearly 31 percent of the population is aged younger than 15 with approximately 7.6 percent being 60-years-old and older.

Of the people younger than 15, about 23 percent live in KwaZulu-Natal and 19.3 percent live in Gauteng.

When coming to migration patterns estimates show that from 2006 to 2011 approximately 211 600 people have and will migrate from the Eastern Cape while the Limpopo province is estimated to experience a net out migration of 140 000 people.

While these provinces are estimated to lose people Gauteng and the Western Cape are expected an inflow of migrants of about 364 400 and 94 600 respectively.

Source: sagoodnews.co.za

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