⌛ Then vs now
How has South Africa changed since 1990?
1990 then 2026 latest dataPeople in South Africa now live 3.4 years longer than in 1990.
Land
Farmland
78.8% in 1990, 79.4% in 2024.
People
Population
40.8 million in 1990, 64.8 million in 2025.
Fertility rate
3.72 children per woman in 1990, 2.21 children per woman in 2024.
Median age
20.3 years in 1990, 28.2 years in 2023.
Aged 65 and over
4% in 1990, 6.9% in 2025.
Money
GDP per person (PPP)
Int$6,380 in 1990, Int$15,900 in 2025.
Economy size (GDP)
$126 billion in 1990, $427 billion in 2025.
Unemployment
23.1% in 1991, 32.4% in 2025.
Military spending
3.9% in 1990, 0.7% in 2025.
Tax revenue (central government)
21.2% in 1990, 25.9% in 2024.
Extreme poverty ($3.00 a day)
44.6% in 1993, 17.4% in 2022.
Health
Life expectancy
62.9 years in 1990, 66.3 years in 2024.
Infant mortality
52.1 per 1,000 in 1990, 24.2 per 1,000 in 2024.
Adult obesity
13.6% in 1990, 31.3% in 2024.
Everyday life
Meat supply
36.8 kg in 1990, 58.3 kg in 2023.
Daily calories
2,560 kcal in 1990, 2,690 kcal in 2023.
Years of schooling
6.7 years in 1990, 11.6 years in 2023.
Olympic medals (all time)
51 in 1990, 95 in 2026.
Connected
Urban population
52% in 1990, 64% in 2025.
Internet users
0% in 1990, 78% in 2024.
Mobile subscriptions
0.014 in 1990, 179 in 2024.
Planet
CO₂ per person
7.7 t in 1990, 6.9 t in 2024.
Forest cover
16.3% in 1990, 18.8% in 2024.
Renewable electricity
0.6% in 1990, 13.6% in 2025.