Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in South Africa
South Africa: Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate was 11.87 million in 2030. ▲ Rising
Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in South Africa, 2000–2030
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in South Africa is 11.87 million, measured in 2030. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
That represents a change of up 19.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in South Africa peaked at 11.87 million in 2030 and was at its lowest, 6.32 million, in 2000.
South Africa ranks 16th of 166 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.32 million | — |
| 2005 | 7.12 million | +12.6% |
| 2007 | 7.41 million | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 7.87 million | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 8.95 million | +13.7% |
| 2020 | 9.93 million | +11.1% |
| 2022 | 10.47 million | +5.4% |
| 2023 | 10.66 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 10.88 million | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 11.01 million | +1.2% |
| 2030 | 11.87 million | +7.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.95 million | 6.32 million | 7.41 million | 3 |
| 2010s | 8.41 million | 7.87 million | 8.95 million | 2 |
| 2020s | 10.59 million | 9.93 million | 11.01 million | 5 |
| 2030s | 11.87 million | 11.87 million | 11.87 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More social development data for South Africa
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in South Africa?
- Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in South Africa was 11.87 million in 2030, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest number of current tobacco smokers, estimate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.87 million in 2030.
- What is the lowest number of current tobacco smokers, estimate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.32 million in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for number of current tobacco smokers, estimate?
- South Africa ranks 16th out of 166 countries with data for 2030.
- Is number of current tobacco smokers, estimate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).