List of South African provinces by population

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Since the

2011 National Census,[1] the 2016 Community Survey,[2] and the most recent 2022 Census.[3]

List

Rank Province Census 2011 2016 community survey Census 2022
Population Percentage Population Percentage Population Percentage
1 Gauteng 12,272,263 23.7 13,399,724 24.1 15,099,422 24.3
2 KwaZulu-Natal 10,267,300 19.8 11,065,240 19.9 12,423,907 20.0
3 Western Cape 5,822,734 11.2 6,279,730 11.3 7,433,019 12.0
4 Eastern Cape 6,562,053 12.7 6,996,976 12.6 7,230,204 11.6
5 Limpopo 5,404,868 10.4 5,799,090 10.4 6,572,720 10.6
6 Mpumalanga 4,039,939 7.8 4,335,964 7.8 5,143,324 8.3
7 North West 3,509,953 6.8 3,748,435 6.7 3,804,548 6.1
8
Free State
2,745,590 5.3 2,834,714 5.1 2,964,412 4.8
9 Northern Cape 1,145,861 2.2 1,193,780 2.1 1,355,946 2.2
South Africa 51,770,561 100.0 55,653,654 100.0 62,027,503 100.0

Historical data

Since the creation of the current provinces in 1994 there have been three censuses, in 1996, 2001 and 2011.

Province Census 1996[4] Percentage Census 2001[4] Percentage Census 2011 Percentage
Gauteng 7,348,423 18.1 8,837,178 19.7 12,272,263 23.7
KwaZulu-Natal 8,417,021 20.7 9,426,017 21.0 10,267,300 19.8
Eastern Cape 6,302,525 15.5 6,436,763 14.4 6,562,053 12.7
Western Cape 3,956,875 9.7 4,524,335 10.1 5,822,734 11.2
Limpopo 4,929,368 12.1 5,273,642 11.8 5,404,868 10.4
Mpumalanga 2,800,711 6.9 3,122,990 7.0 4,039,939 7.8
North West 3,354,825 8.3 3,669,349 8.2 3,509,953 6.8
Free State
2,633,504 6.5 2,706,775 6.0 2,745,590 5.3
Northern Cape 840,321 2.1 822,727 1.8 1,145,861 2.2
South Africa 40,583,573 100.0 44,819,776 100.0 51,770,561 100.0

See also

References