Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in South Africa
South Africa: Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural was 90.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in South Africa is 90.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in South Africa peaked at 90.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 70.2%, in 2001.
That places South Africa 173rd out of 229 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 72.4% | — |
| 2001 | 70.2% | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 76.7% | +9.3% |
| 2003 | 78.8% | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 80.6% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 80.8% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 80.7% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 82.0% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 81.9% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 82.6% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 82.8% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 83.6% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 85.2% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 85.2% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 85.9% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 85.3% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 83.9% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 84.4% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 84.7% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 85.0% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 90.0% | +5.9% |
| 2021 | 89.3% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 86.5% | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 87.7% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 90.2% | +2.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 90.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 100.0%, 90% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 90.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.0%, 1.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 78.7% | 70.2% | 82.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.6% | 82.8% | 85.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.7% | 86.5% | 90.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.3095 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in South Africa?
- Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural in South Africa was 90.2% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 90.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.2% in 2001.
- How does South Africa rank for proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural?
- South Africa ranks 173rd out of 229 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population with access to electricity, by urban/rural (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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