From 1960 to the late 1980s, apartheid laws kept families and communities in poor rural areas. Young men alone were allowed to move to the cities, where their labour was valuable. After the end of apartheid, from the mid-1990s, urbanisation increased rapidly.

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In the last 20 years, much of the migration from rural areas has been to Johannesburg, which has been South Africa’s largest city since 1950.

Read more: South Africa’s population

South Africa’s population in 1960

Total population: 17,396,367
Urban population: 8,110,012 (47%)
Rural population: 9,286,355 (53%)
Population of the largest city: 2,136,849 (12%)
Population of other cities: 5,973,163 (34%)

South Africa’s population in 1970

Total population: 22,502,502
Urban population: 10,758,221 (48%)
Rural population: 11,744,281 (52%)
Population of the largest city: 2,764,138 (12%)
Population of other cities: 7,994,083 (36%)

South Africa’s population in 1980

Total population: 29,077,143
Urban population: 14,080,606 (48%)
Rural population: 14,996,537 (52%)
Population of the largest city: 3,201,915 (11%)
Population of other cities: 10,878,691 (37%)

South Africa’s population in 1990

Total population: 36,793,490
Urban population: 19,146,228 (52%)
Rural population: 17,647,262 (48%)
Population of the largest city: 3,708,875 (10%)
Population of other cities: 15,437,353 (42%)

South Africa’s population in 2000

Total population: 44,896,856
Urban population: 25,542,270 (57%)
Rural population: 19,354,586 (43%)
Population of the largest city: 5,605,027 (12%)
Population of other cities: 19,937,243 (44%)

South Africa’s population in 2010

Total population: 50,979,432
Urban population: 31,718,383 (62%)
Rural population: 19,261,049 (38%)
Population of the largest city: 7,991,825 (16%)
Population of other cities: 23,726,558 (47%)

South Africa’s population in 2016

Total population: 55,908,865
Urban population: 36,505,693 (65%)
Rural population: 19,403,172 (35%)
Population of the largest city: 9,615,976 (17%)
Population of other cities: 26,889,717 (48%)

Researched, written and designed by Mary Alexander.
Updated 28 February 2018.

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