{
  "id": "population-total",
  "title": "Population, mid-year estimate",
  "description": "South Africa's estimated mid-year (30 June) population for 2026 is 63,522,380 according to Stats SA's Mid-Year Population Estimates, an increase of 759,980 on 2025. Annual growth is about 1.2%. Stats SA notes each release revises the whole 2002–2026 series, so figures should not be compared with earlier publications. The 2022 Census counted 62.0 million; mid-year estimates and Census counts are different measures.",
  "unit": "million",
  "category": "population",
  "latest": {
    "value": 63522380,
    "display": "63.5M"
  },
  "source": {
    "publisher": "Statistics South Africa",
    "publication": "Mid-year population estimates 2026",
    "url": "https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0302/P03022026.pdf",
    "releasedOn": "2026-07-30"
  },
  "checkedOn": "2026-10-19",
  "page": "https://sadatahub.tech/series/population-total",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "citation": "Statistics South Africa (2026). Mid-year population estimates 2026. Series \"Population, mid-year estimate\" via SA Data Hub, https://sadatahub.tech/series/population-total (checked 2026-10-19).",
  "points": [
    {
      "period": "2015",
      "value": 55.2
    },
    {
      "period": "2016",
      "value": 56
    },
    {
      "period": "2017",
      "value": 56.8
    },
    {
      "period": "2018",
      "value": 57.6
    },
    {
      "period": "2019",
      "value": 58.5
    },
    {
      "period": "2020",
      "value": 59.3
    },
    {
      "period": "2021",
      "value": 59.9
    },
    {
      "period": "2022",
      "value": 60.5
    },
    {
      "period": "2023",
      "value": 61.2
    },
    {
      "period": "2024",
      "value": 62
    },
    {
      "period": "2025",
      "value": 62.8
    },
    {
      "period": "2026",
      "value": 63.5
    }
  ],
  "note": "Values for 2015 to 2024 are approximations calculated by SA Data Hub from the annual growth rates in the 2026 release. They are not published Stats SA totals. The 2026 value is published; 2025 is that value minus the increase stated in the release.",
  "revisions": [],
  "changeLog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-19",
      "type": "data-update",
      "summary": "Updated to MYPE 2026 (63,522,380, mid-2026). Urban share (63.7%) and median age (28.0) unchanged (Census 2022, no newer comparable measure). Series points 2015–2024 are derived back-casts from growth rates, ±≈0.03M; replace with Stats SA published Excel series when available."
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-07-30",
      "type": "data-update",
      "summary": "Population indicators aligned with latest mid-year population estimates publication."
    }
  ]
}