List of South African Provinces by Population (2025)
Since the creation of the current provinces of South Africa in 1994 there have been five census exercises, in 1996, 2001, 2011, 2016, and 2022.
Following the 1994 South African general election, the country has been divided into nine provinces.
The provinces differ massively in population, from the mostly urban Gauteng, which contains over 25% of the national population, to the mostly desert Northern Cape, which contains less than 2.5%.
The tables below show the provincial populations according to the 2024 mid-year estimates by Stats SA, the 2022 Census, the 2016 Community Survey, and the 2011, 2001, and 1996 National Censuses.
