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South Africa

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Primary KPIs

Fresh data

NewOct 31, 2026

Economy & public finances

South Africa — Public debt (amount)

Outstanding consolidated gross debt of general government (central and local government, social security), in current national currency. Complements public debt as % of GDP: the amount measures what is owed, the ratio its sustainability.
6.1TZAR
2025
Source: IMF· Data 2025
Upd. 05/2025
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NewNov 5, 2026

Demography

South Africa — Population by age band

Population by age band (0-19, 20-59, 60-74, 75 and over). France: Insee, population of Metropolitan France on 1 January, since 1946. Other countries and the European Union: OECD historical population data (annual estimates), since 1950 at the earliest.· Annual population estimates compiled by the OECD (historical population data, both sexes). The four bands are sums of the OECD five-year age groups (0-19 = 0-4 to 15-19; 75 and over = 75-79, 80-84 and 85 and over). Same bands as the France card, but France uses Insee estimates on 1 January: levels are not strictly comparable from one country to another. When the OECD series changes basis (one band moving by more than 15 % in a year, e.g. a new census), the card starts on the new basis.· Licence : OECD terms and conditions — source: OECD, Historical population data
75 and over60-74 years20-59 years0-19 years
Source: OECD· Data 2025Source type : Official
OECD, annual population
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NewNov 5, 2026

Demography

South Africa — Population by age band (share)

Population by age band (0-19, 20-59, 60-74, 75 and over). France: Insee, population of Metropolitan France on 1 January, since 1946. Other countries and the European Union: OECD historical population data (annual estimates), since 1950 at the earliest.· Annual population estimates compiled by the OECD (historical population data, both sexes). The four bands are sums of the OECD five-year age groups (0-19 = 0-4 to 15-19; 75 and over = 75-79, 80-84 and 85 and over). Same bands as the France card, but France uses Insee estimates on 1 January: levels are not strictly comparable from one country to another. When the OECD series changes basis (one band moving by more than 15 % in a year, e.g. a new census), the card starts on the new basis.· Licence : OECD terms and conditions — source: OECD, Historical population data
75 and over60-74 years20-59 years0-19 years
Source: OECD· Data 2025Source type : Official
OECD, annual population
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Economy & public finances — see every Economy & public finances indicator on one page

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Labour market — see every Labour market indicator on one page

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Defense — see every Defense indicator on one page

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Environment, energy & climate — see every Environment, energy & climate indicator on one page

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Purchasing power & prices — see every Purchasing power & prices indicator on one page

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Immigration & integration — see every Immigration & integration indicator on one page

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Education & training — see every Education & training indicator on one page

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Health — see every Health indicator on one page

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Security & crime — see every Security & crime indicator on one page

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Housing — see every Housing indicator on one page

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Transport & mobility — see every Transport & mobility indicator on one page

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Social cohesion, poverty & inequality — see every Social cohesion, poverty & inequality indicator on one page

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Demography — see every Demography indicator on one page

Economy & public finances

South Africa — GDP growth

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Change in real GDP from one period to the next; positive means the economy grows, negative that it shrinks.
1.1%
2025
Source: CEPREMAP· Data 2025
Upd. 06/2026
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Labour market

South Africa — Unemployment rate (ILO)

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Share of the labour force without a job and seeking one, per the ILO definition; lower is better.
32.3%
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Defense

South Africa — Defense spending

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Military spending as % of GDP; measures the national defense effort.
0.8% GDP
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Environment, energy & climate

South Africa — GHG emissions

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Total greenhouse-gas emissions, in million tonnes of CO2 equivalent; cutting it is the climate goal.
570MtCO2e
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Purchasing power & prices

South Africa — Inflation (CPI)

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Average annual rise in consumer prices (CPI); 2% is the common target, above it purchasing power erodes.
4.4%
2024
Source: CEPREMAP· Data 2024
Upd. 06/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Education & training

South Africa — Education expenditure

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Total spending on education as % of GDP; measures the national effort for schools and universities.
6% GDP
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Health

South Africa — Life expectancy

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Average number of years a newborn can expect to live under current mortality conditions.
66.31years
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Security & crime

South Africa — Homicides

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Homicides per 100,000 inhabitants; the most reliable violence indicator as it is best recorded.
43.72per 100k
2022
Source: World Bank· Data 2022
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Housing

South Africa — Property price index

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.House price index (Notaires-INSEE); tracks property prices, base 100 at a reference year.
87.93index
2024
Frequency
Source: BIS· Data 2024
Upd. 06/2025 · Y-axis truncated
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Transport & mobility

South Africa — Road mortality

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Number of people killed on the roads; the main road-safety indicator.
22.2​
2019
Source: World Bank· Data 2019
Upd. 04/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Social cohesion, poverty & inequality

South Africa — Poverty rate

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Share of the population below the poverty line (60% of median income); lower is better.
37.9%
2022
Source: World Bank· Data 2022
Upd. 10/2026
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Defense

South Africa — Armed forces at a glance

69,000​
Active personnel · 2024· ≈ order of magnitude
  • ≈18,000
    Reserves
  • ≈170
    Main battle tanks
  • ≈1,400
    Armoured vehicles
Source: IISS Military Balance 2024 · SIPRI· Data 2024
approximate values
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Education & training

South Africa — Education Spending

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Public spending on education
6% GDP
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Economy & public finances

South Africa — GDP growth

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Change in real GDP from one period to the next; positive means the economy grows, negative that it shrinks.
1.1%
2025
Source: CEPREMAP· Data 2025
Upd. 06/2026
ExploreSource
Economy & public finances

South Africa — GDP

Gross domestic product at current prices, expressed in billions of US dollars (market exchange rate). The standard cross-country measure of "size of the economy" in a common currency.
410USD bn
2025
Source: IMF· Data 2025
Upd. 05/2025 · Y-axis truncated
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Economy & public finances

South Africa — Public debt

Total government debt as a share of GDP; the lower the ratio, the more sustainable the debt.
79.6% GDP
2025
Source: IMF· Data 2025
Upd. 05/2025 · Y-axis truncated
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Economy & public finances

South Africa — Budget balance

Government revenue minus spending over a year, as % of GDP; negative is a deficit, positive a surplus.
-6.6% GDP
2025
Source: IMF· Data 2025
Upd. 05/2025 · Y-axis truncated
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Economy & public finances

South Africa — Public spending

Total government spending relative to GDP; gauges the weight of the state in the economy.
33.4% GDP
2022
Source: World Bank· Data 2022
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Economy & public finances

South Africa — GDP per capita

National output (GDP) divided by population; a rough proxy for average living standards. Shown in the source's unit: euros (Eurostat, Destatis), international dollars at purchasing-power parity (IMF) or US dollars (BEA, World Bank).
6.3KUSD
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Economy & public finances

South Africa — Mandatory levies

Taxes and social contributions collected, as % of GDP; measures the overall tax burden.
25.9% GDP
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Economy & public finances

South Africa — Current account balance

Balance of current transactions with abroad (goods, services, income), as % of GDP; positive means the country lends to the world.
-1.2% GDP
2025
Source: IMF· Data 2025
Upd. 05/2025
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Economy & public finances

South Africa — International reserves

Total reserve assets held by the central bank (gold, FX, SDRs, IMF position). Signals the country's ability to meet external obligations.
65,458M USD
2024
Frequency
Source: IMF· Data 2024
Upd. 08/2025 · Y-axis truncated
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Economy & public finances

South Africa — Public debt (amount)

Outstanding consolidated gross debt of general government (central and local government, social security), in current national currency. Complements public debt as % of GDP: the amount measures what is owed, the ratio its sustainability.
6.1TZAR
2025
Source: IMF· Data 2025
Upd. 05/2025
ExploreSource
Labour market

South Africa — Unemployment rate (ILO)

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Share of the labour force without a job and seeking one, per the ILO definition; lower is better.
32.3%
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
ExploreSource
Labour market

South Africa — Youth unemployment (15-24)

Unemployment rate for ages 15-24; usually higher than average, it reveals young people's entry difficulties.
60.2%
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Labour market

South Africa — Employment rate (15-64)

Share of people aged 15-64 who are employed; measures how well the economy puts working-age people to work.
37.6%
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Labour market

South Africa — Activity rate

Share of people aged 15-64 in the labour market (employed or seeking work); measures engagement in working life.
55.6%
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Defense

South Africa — Defense spending

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Military spending as % of GDP; measures the national defense effort.
0.8% GDP
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
ExploreSource
Defense

South Africa — Defense spending — % of government expenditure

Military expenditure as a share of total general government expenditure.
2.3%
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Defense

South Africa — Armed forces at a glance

69,000​
Active personnel · 2024· ≈ order of magnitude
  • ≈18,000
    Reserves
  • ≈170
    Main battle tanks
  • ≈1,400
    Armoured vehicles
Source: IISS Military Balance 2024 · SIPRI· Data 2024
approximate values
Explore
Defense

South Africa — Military spending (USD)

Military spending in current USD; enables volume comparison.
3BUSD
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Defense

South Africa — Active military personnel

Number of active-duty military personnel; reflects the size of the armed forces.
89K​
2020
Source: World Bank· Data 2020
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Defense

South Africa — Arms exports

Value of arms transfers exported; indicates weight in the global defense industry.
96MUSD
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Defense

South Africa — Arms imports

Value of arms transfers imported; indicates dependence on external suppliers.
30MUSD
2023
Source: World Bank· Data 2023
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Defense

South Africa — Military personnel (% labour force)

Share of military personnel in the labour force.
0.4%
2020
Source: World Bank· Data 2020
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Defense

South Africa — Defense spending — local currency (EUR)

Military expenditure in current local currency units (EUR) — domestic-budget view.
55.6BEUR
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Environment, energy & climate

South Africa — GHG emissions

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Total greenhouse-gas emissions, in million tonnes of CO2 equivalent; cutting it is the climate goal.
570MtCO2e
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
ExploreSource
Environment, energy & climate

South Africa — Renewable energy share

Share of renewables in energy consumption; the higher, the more decarbonised the mix.
9.7%
2021
Source: World Bank· Data 2021
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Environment, energy & climate

South Africa — Air quality (PM2.5)

Average concentration of fine PM2.5 particles in the air; above WHO thresholds, health is at risk.
27.72µg/m3
2023
Source: World Bank· Data 2023
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Environment, energy & climate

South Africa — Forest cover

Share of land covered by forest; a carbon sink and a biodiversity marker.
18.8%
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Purchasing power & prices

South Africa — Inflation (CPI)

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Average annual rise in consumer prices (CPI); 2% is the common target, above it purchasing power erodes.
4.4%
2024
Source: CEPREMAP· Data 2024
Upd. 06/2026 · Y-axis truncated
ExploreSource
Immigration & integration

South Africa — Net migration

Difference between people entering and leaving the territory; positive means more arrivals than departures.
167K​
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Education & training

South Africa — Education expenditure

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Total spending on education as % of GDP; measures the national effort for schools and universities.
6% GDP
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
ExploreSource
Education & training

South Africa — Education Spending

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Public spending on education
6% GDP
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
ExploreSource
Education & training

South Africa — Student/Teacher Ratio

Primary school student–teacher ratio
30.33ratio
2015
Source: World Bank· Data 2015
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Education & training

South Africa — Tertiary attainment (25-34)

Share of 25-34 year-olds with a tertiary degree; measures the qualification level of the young generation.
14.4%
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Education & training

South Africa — Student-teacher ratio

Average number of pupils per teacher; a lower ratio means better supervision.
30.33ratio
2015
Source: World Bank· Data 2015
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Education & training

South Africa — Tertiary enrolment

Number of students enrolled in higher education; tracks the expansion of universities.
23.49​
2023
Source: World Bank· Data 2023
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Health

South Africa — Health expenditure

Current health spending as % of GDP; measures resources devoted to the healthcare system.
8.7% GDP
2022
Source: OECD· Data 2022
Upd. 11/2025 · Y-axis truncated
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Health

South Africa — Health spending per capita

Current health spending per capita, in US dollars. Measures what a country devotes on average per person to the healthcare system.
537USD
2023
Source: World Bank· Data 2023
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Health

South Africa — Life expectancy

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Average number of years a newborn can expect to live under current mortality conditions.
66.31years
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Health

South Africa — Infant mortality

Deaths of children before age 1 per 1,000 live births; a key indicator of a country's health.
24.2per 1,000
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Health

South Africa — Physician density

Number of physicians per 1,000 inhabitants; a low level signals medical deserts.
0.79per 1,000
2022
Source: World Bank· Data 2022
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Health

South Africa — Vaccination coverage

Share of the population properly vaccinated; a high rate protects the community.
74%
2024
Source: World Bank· Data 2024
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Health

South Africa — Preventable mortality

Deaths that could have been avoided through prevention or care, per 100,000; lower is better.
358per 100k
2020
Source: OECD· Data 2020
Y-axis truncated
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Health

South Africa — Hospital beds

Number of hospital beds per 1,000 inhabitants; measures hospital capacity.
2.25per 1,000
2010
Source: World Bank· Data 2010
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
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Security & crime

South Africa — Homicides

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Homicides per 100,000 inhabitants; the most reliable violence indicator as it is best recorded.
43.72per 100k
2022
Source: World Bank· Data 2022
Upd. 10/2026 · Y-axis truncated
ExploreSource
Housing

South Africa — Property price index

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.House price index (Notaires-INSEE); tracks property prices, base 100 at a reference year.
87.93index
2024
Frequency
Source: BIS· Data 2024
Upd. 06/2025 · Y-axis truncated
ExploreSource
Housing

South Africa — Household credit

Outstanding credit to households as % of GDP. Measures structural household leverage.
33.7% GDP
2024
Frequency
Source: BIS· Data 2024
Upd. 06/2025 · Y-axis truncated
ExploreSource
Transport & mobility

South Africa — Road mortality

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Number of people killed on the roads; the main road-safety indicator.
22.2​
2019
Source: World Bank· Data 2019
Upd. 04/2026 · Y-axis truncated
ExploreSource
Social cohesion, poverty & inequality

South Africa — Poverty rate

Primary KPI: one of the key indicators tracked first for this country.Share of the population below the poverty line (60% of median income); lower is better.
37.9%
2022
Source: World Bank· Data 2022
Upd. 10/2026
ExploreSource
Social cohesion, poverty & inequality

South Africa — Gini index

Measure of income inequality from 0 (perfect equality) to 1; the lower the index, the more equal the society.
54.1index
2022
Source: World Bank· Data 2022
Upd. 10/2026
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Demography

South Africa — Population by age band

Population by age band (0-19, 20-59, 60-74, 75 and over). France: Insee, population of Metropolitan France on 1 January, since 1946. Other countries and the European Union: OECD historical population data (annual estimates), since 1950 at the earliest.· Annual population estimates compiled by the OECD (historical population data, both sexes). The four bands are sums of the OECD five-year age groups (0-19 = 0-4 to 15-19; 75 and over = 75-79, 80-84 and 85 and over). Same bands as the France card, but France uses Insee estimates on 1 January: levels are not strictly comparable from one country to another. When the OECD series changes basis (one band moving by more than 15 % in a year, e.g. a new census), the card starts on the new basis.· Licence : OECD terms and conditions — source: OECD, Historical population data
75 and over60-74 years20-59 years0-19 years
Source: OECD· Data 2025Source type : Official
OECD, annual population
ExploreSource
Demography

South Africa — Population by age band (share)

Population by age band (0-19, 20-59, 60-74, 75 and over). France: Insee, population of Metropolitan France on 1 January, since 1946. Other countries and the European Union: OECD historical population data (annual estimates), since 1950 at the earliest.· Annual population estimates compiled by the OECD (historical population data, both sexes). The four bands are sums of the OECD five-year age groups (0-19 = 0-4 to 15-19; 75 and over = 75-79, 80-84 and 85 and over). Same bands as the France card, but France uses Insee estimates on 1 January: levels are not strictly comparable from one country to another. When the OECD series changes basis (one band moving by more than 15 % in a year, e.g. a new census), the card starts on the new basis.· Licence : OECD terms and conditions — source: OECD, Historical population data
75 and over60-74 years20-59 years0-19 years
Source: OECD· Data 2025Source type : Official
OECD, annual population
ExploreSource