Years colonized in South Africa

South Africa: Years colonized was 262 in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)
262
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
37th
of 159 countries
All-time high
262
in 1920
All-time low
0
in 1462
Years of data
561
1462–2022

Years colonized in South Africa, 1462–2022

0100200300146217422022

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for years colonized in South Africa is 262, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 561 years on record.

That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, years colonized in South Africa peaked at 262 in 1920 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1462.

That places South Africa 37th out of 159 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Years colonized in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Years colonized in South Africa, 1462 to 2022.
Year Value Change
1462 0 —
1463 0 —
1464 0 —
1465 0 —
1466 0 —
1467 0 —
1468 0 —
1469 0 —
1470 0 —
1471 0 —
1472 0 —
1473 0 —
1474 0 —
1475 0 —
1476 0 —
1477 0 —
1478 0 —
1479 0 —
1480 0 —
1481 0 —
1482 0 —
1483 0 —
1484 0 —
1485 0 —
1486 0 —
1487 0 —
1488 0 —
1489 0 —
1490 0 —
1491 0 —
1492 0 —
1493 0 —
1494 0 —
1495 0 —
1496 0 —
1497 0 —
1498 0 —
1499 0 —
1500 0 —
1501 0 —
1502 0 —
1503 0 —
1504 0 —
1505 0 —
1506 0 —
1507 0 —
1508 0 —
1509 0 —
1510 0 —
1511 0 —
1512 0 —
1513 0 —
1514 0 —
1515 0 —
1516 0 —
1517 0 —
1518 0 —
1519 0 —
1520 0 —
1521 0 —
1522 0 —
1523 0 —
1524 0 —
1525 0 —
1526 0 —
1527 0 —
1528 0 —
1529 0 —
1530 0 —
1531 0 —
1532 0 —
1533 0 —
1534 0 —
1535 0 —
1536 0 —
1537 0 —
1538 0 —
1539 0 —
1540 0 —
1541 0 —
1542 0 —
1543 0 —
1544 0 —
1545 0 —
1546 0 —
1547 0 —
1548 0 —
1549 0 —
1550 0 —
1551 0 —
1552 0 —
1553 0 —
1554 0 —
1555 0 —
1556 0 —
1557 0 —
1558 0 —
1559 0 —
1560 0 —
1561 0 —
1562 0 —
1563 0 —
1564 0 —
1565 0 —
1566 0 —
1567 0 —
1568 0 —
1569 0 —
1570 0 —
1571 0 —
1572 0 —
1573 0 —
1574 0 —
1575 0 —
1576 0 —
1577 0 —
1578 0 —
1579 0 —
1580 0 —
1581 0 —
1582 0 —
1583 0 —
1584 0 —
1585 0 —
1586 0 —
1587 0 —
1588 0 —
1589 0 —
1590 0 —
1591 0 —
1592 0 —
1593 0 —
1594 0 —
1595 0 —
1596 0 —
1597 0 —
1598 0 —
1599 0 —
1600 0 —
1601 0 —
1602 0 —
1603 0 —
1604 0 —
1605 0 —
1606 0 —
1607 0 —
1608 0 —
1609 0 —
1610 0 —
1611 0 —
1612 0 —
1613 0 —
1614 0 —
1615 0 —
1616 0 —
1617 0 —
1618 0 —
1619 0 —
1620 0 —
1621 0 —
1622 0 —
1623 0 —
1624 0 —
1625 0 —
1626 0 —
1627 0 —
1628 0 —
1629 0 —
1630 0 —
1631 0 —
1632 0 —
1633 0 —
1634 0 —
1635 0 —
1636 0 —
1637 0 —
1638 0 —
1639 0 —
1640 0 —
1641 0 —
1642 0 —
1643 0 —
1644 0 —
1645 0 —
1646 0 —
1647 0 —
1648 0 —
1649 0 —
1650 0 —
1651 0 —
1652 1 —
1653 2 +100.0%
1654 3 +50.0%
1655 4 +33.3%
1656 5 +25.0%
1657 6 +20.0%
1658 7 +16.7%
1659 8 +14.3%
1660 9 +12.5%
1661 10 +11.1%
1662 11 +10.0%
1663 12 +9.1%
1664 13 +8.3%
1665 14 +7.7%
1666 15 +7.1%
1667 16 +6.7%
1668 17 +6.2%
1669 18 +5.9%
1670 19 +5.6%
1671 20 +5.3%
1672 21 +5.0%
1673 22 +4.8%
1674 23 +4.5%
1675 24 +4.3%
1676 25 +4.2%
1677 26 +4.0%
1678 27 +3.8%
1679 28 +3.7%
1680 29 +3.6%
1681 30 +3.4%
1682 31 +3.3%
1683 32 +3.2%
1684 33 +3.1%
1685 34 +3.0%
1686 35 +2.9%
1687 36 +2.9%
1688 37 +2.8%
1689 38 +2.7%
1690 39 +2.6%
1691 40 +2.6%
1692 41 +2.5%
1693 42 +2.4%
1694 43 +2.4%
1695 44 +2.3%
1696 45 +2.3%
1697 46 +2.2%
1698 47 +2.2%
1699 48 +2.1%
1700 49 +2.1%
1701 50 +2.0%
1702 51 +2.0%
1703 52 +2.0%
1704 53 +1.9%
1705 54 +1.9%
1706 55 +1.9%
1707 56 +1.8%
1708 57 +1.8%
1709 58 +1.8%
1710 59 +1.7%
1711 60 +1.7%
1712 61 +1.7%
1713 62 +1.6%
1714 63 +1.6%
1715 64 +1.6%
1716 65 +1.6%
1717 66 +1.5%
1718 67 +1.5%
1719 68 +1.5%
1720 69 +1.5%
1721 70 +1.4%
1722 71 +1.4%
1723 72 +1.4%
1724 73 +1.4%
1725 74 +1.4%
1726 75 +1.4%
1727 76 +1.3%
1728 77 +1.3%
1729 78 +1.3%
1730 79 +1.3%
1731 80 +1.3%
1732 81 +1.2%
1733 82 +1.2%
1734 83 +1.2%
1735 84 +1.2%
1736 85 +1.2%
1737 86 +1.2%
1738 87 +1.2%
1739 88 +1.1%
1740 89 +1.1%
1741 90 +1.1%
1742 91 +1.1%
1743 92 +1.1%
1744 93 +1.1%
1745 94 +1.1%
1746 95 +1.1%
1747 96 +1.1%
1748 97 +1.0%
1749 98 +1.0%
1750 99 +1.0%
1751 100 +1.0%
1752 101 +1.0%
1753 102 +1.0%
1754 103 +1.0%
1755 104 +1.0%
1756 105 +1.0%
1757 106 +1.0%
1758 107 +0.9%
1759 108 +0.9%
1760 109 +0.9%
1761 110 +0.9%
1762 111 +0.9%
1763 112 +0.9%
1764 113 +0.9%
1765 114 +0.9%
1766 115 +0.9%
1767 116 +0.9%
1768 117 +0.9%
1769 118 +0.9%
1770 119 +0.8%
1771 120 +0.8%
1772 121 +0.8%
1773 122 +0.8%
1774 123 +0.8%
1775 124 +0.8%
1776 125 +0.8%
1777 126 +0.8%
1778 127 +0.8%
1779 128 +0.8%
1780 129 +0.8%
1781 130 +0.8%
1782 131 +0.8%
1783 132 +0.8%
1784 133 +0.8%
1785 134 +0.8%
1786 135 +0.7%
1787 136 +0.7%
1788 137 +0.7%
1789 138 +0.7%
1790 139 +0.7%
1791 140 +0.7%
1792 141 +0.7%
1793 142 +0.7%
1794 143 +0.7%
1795 144 +0.7%
1796 145 +0.7%
1797 146 +0.7%
1798 147 +0.7%
1799 148 +0.7%
1800 149 +0.7%
1801 150 +0.7%
1802 151 +0.7%
1803 152 +0.7%
1804 153 +0.7%
1805 154 +0.7%
1806 155 +0.6%
1807 155 +0.0%
1808 155 +0.0%
1809 155 +0.0%
1810 155 +0.0%
1811 155 +0.0%
1812 155 +0.0%
1813 155 +0.0%
1814 156 +0.6%
1815 157 +0.6%
1816 158 +0.6%
1817 159 +0.6%
1818 160 +0.6%
1819 161 +0.6%
1820 162 +0.6%
1821 163 +0.6%
1822 164 +0.6%
1823 165 +0.6%
1824 166 +0.6%
1825 167 +0.6%
1826 168 +0.6%
1827 169 +0.6%
1828 170 +0.6%
1829 171 +0.6%
1830 172 +0.6%
1831 173 +0.6%
1832 174 +0.6%
1833 175 +0.6%
1834 176 +0.6%
1835 177 +0.6%
1836 178 +0.6%
1837 179 +0.6%
1838 180 +0.6%
1839 181 +0.6%
1840 182 +0.6%
1841 183 +0.5%
1842 184 +0.5%
1843 185 +0.5%
1844 186 +0.5%
1845 187 +0.5%
1846 188 +0.5%
1847 189 +0.5%
1848 190 +0.5%
1849 191 +0.5%
1850 192 +0.5%
1851 193 +0.5%
1852 194 +0.5%
1853 195 +0.5%
1854 196 +0.5%
1855 197 +0.5%
1856 198 +0.5%
1857 199 +0.5%
1858 200 +0.5%
1859 201 +0.5%
1860 202 +0.5%
1861 203 +0.5%
1862 204 +0.5%
1863 205 +0.5%
1864 206 +0.5%
1865 207 +0.5%
1866 208 +0.5%
1867 209 +0.5%
1868 210 +0.5%
1869 211 +0.5%
1870 212 +0.5%
1871 213 +0.5%
1872 214 +0.5%
1873 215 +0.5%
1874 216 +0.5%
1875 217 +0.5%
1876 218 +0.5%
1877 219 +0.5%
1878 220 +0.5%
1879 221 +0.5%
1880 222 +0.5%
1881 223 +0.5%
1882 224 +0.4%
1883 225 +0.4%
1884 226 +0.4%
1885 227 +0.4%
1886 228 +0.4%
1887 229 +0.4%
1888 230 +0.4%
1889 231 +0.4%
1890 232 +0.4%
1891 233 +0.4%
1892 234 +0.4%
1893 235 +0.4%
1894 236 +0.4%
1895 237 +0.4%
1896 238 +0.4%
1897 239 +0.4%
1898 240 +0.4%
1899 241 +0.4%
1900 242 +0.4%
1901 243 +0.4%
1902 244 +0.4%
1903 245 +0.4%
1904 246 +0.4%
1905 247 +0.4%
1906 248 +0.4%
1907 249 +0.4%
1908 250 +0.4%
1909 251 +0.4%
1910 252 +0.4%
1911 253 +0.4%
1912 254 +0.4%
1913 255 +0.4%
1914 256 +0.4%
1915 257 +0.4%
1916 258 +0.4%
1917 259 +0.4%
1918 260 +0.4%
1919 261 +0.4%
1920 262 +0.4%
1921 262 +0.0%
1922 262 +0.0%
1923 262 +0.0%
1924 262 +0.0%
1925 262 +0.0%
1926 262 +0.0%
1927 262 +0.0%
1928 262 +0.0%
1929 262 +0.0%
1930 262 +0.0%
1931 262 +0.0%
1932 262 +0.0%
1933 262 +0.0%
1934 262 +0.0%
1935 262 +0.0%
1936 262 +0.0%
1937 262 +0.0%
1938 262 +0.0%
1939 262 +0.0%
1940 262 +0.0%
1941 262 +0.0%
1942 262 +0.0%
1943 262 +0.0%
1944 262 +0.0%
1945 262 +0.0%
1946 262 +0.0%
1947 262 +0.0%
1948 262 +0.0%
1949 262 +0.0%
1950 262 +0.0%
1951 262 +0.0%
1952 262 +0.0%
1953 262 +0.0%
1954 262 +0.0%
1955 262 +0.0%
1956 262 +0.0%
1957 262 +0.0%
1958 262 +0.0%
1959 262 +0.0%
1960 262 +0.0%
1961 262 +0.0%
1962 262 +0.0%
1963 262 +0.0%
1964 262 +0.0%
1965 262 +0.0%
1966 262 +0.0%
1967 262 +0.0%
1968 262 +0.0%
1969 262 +0.0%
1970 262 +0.0%
1971 262 +0.0%
1972 262 +0.0%
1973 262 +0.0%
1974 262 +0.0%
1975 262 +0.0%
1976 262 +0.0%
1977 262 +0.0%
1978 262 +0.0%
1979 262 +0.0%
1980 262 +0.0%
1981 262 +0.0%
1982 262 +0.0%
1983 262 +0.0%
1984 262 +0.0%
1985 262 +0.0%
1986 262 +0.0%
1987 262 +0.0%
1988 262 +0.0%
1989 262 +0.0%
1990 262 +0.0%
1991 262 +0.0%
1992 262 +0.0%
1993 262 +0.0%
1994 262 +0.0%
1995 262 +0.0%
1996 262 +0.0%
1997 262 +0.0%
1998 262 +0.0%
1999 262 +0.0%
2000 262 +0.0%
2001 262 +0.0%
2002 262 +0.0%
2003 262 +0.0%
2004 262 +0.0%
2005 262 +0.0%
2006 262 +0.0%
2007 262 +0.0%
2008 262 +0.0%
2009 262 +0.0%
2010 262 +0.0%
2011 262 +0.0%
2012 262 +0.0%
2013 262 +0.0%
2014 262 +0.0%
2015 262 +0.0%
2016 262 +0.0%
2017 262 +0.0%
2018 262 +0.0%
2019 262 +0.0%
2020 262 +0.0%
2021 262 +0.0%
2022 262 +0.0%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 262 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 198, 1.3× the median. (50 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 262 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70, 3.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Years colonized in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1653 +100.0% 1 2
1654 +50.0% 2 3
1655 +33.3% 3 4
1656 +25.0% 4 5

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1460s 0 0 0 8
1470s 0 0 0 10
1480s 0 0 0 10
1490s 0 0 0 10
1500s 0 0 0 10
1510s 0 0 0 10
1520s 0 0 0 10
1530s 0 0 0 10
1540s 0 0 0 10
1550s 0 0 0 10
1560s 0 0 0 10
1570s 0 0 0 10
1580s 0 0 0 10
1590s 0 0 0 10
1600s 0 0 0 10
1610s 0 0 0 10
1620s 0 0 0 10
1630s 0 0 0 10
1640s 0 0 0 10
1650s 3.6 0 8 10
1660s 13.5 9 18 10
1670s 23.5 19 28 10
1680s 33.5 29 38 10
1690s 43.5 39 48 10
1700s 53.5 49 58 10
1710s 63.5 59 68 10
1720s 73.5 69 78 10
1730s 83.5 79 88 10
1740s 93.5 89 98 10
1750s 103.5 99 108 10
1760s 113.5 109 118 10
1770s 123.5 119 128 10
1780s 133.5 129 138 10
1790s 143.5 139 148 10
1800s 152.9 149 155 10
1810s 157.1 155 161 10
1820s 166.5 162 171 10
1830s 176.5 172 181 10
1840s 186.5 182 191 10
1850s 196.5 192 201 10
1860s 206.5 202 211 10
1870s 216.5 212 221 10
1880s 226.5 222 231 10
1890s 236.5 232 241 10
1900s 246.5 242 251 10
1910s 256.5 252 261 10
1920s 262 262 262 10
1930s 262 262 262 10
1940s 262 262 262 10
1950s 262 262 262 10
1960s 262 262 262 10
1970s 262 262 262 10
1980s 262 262 262 10
1990s 262 262 262 10
2000s 262 262 262 10
2010s 262 262 262 10
2020s 262 262 262 3

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 34 Paraguay 275 compare
  2. 35 Bolivia 267 compare
  3. 36 Venezuela 266 compare
  4. 38 Mauritius 254 compare
  5. 39 Micronesia (country) 250 compare
  6. 40 Argentina 240 compare

See the full ranking of 159 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is years colonized in South Africa?
Years colonized in South Africa was 262 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest years colonized recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 262 in 1920.
What is the lowest years colonized recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1462.
How does South Africa rank for years colonized?
South Africa ranks 37th out of 159 countries with data for 2022.
Is years colonized rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Years colonized. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Years colonized in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/years-colonized/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Years colonized
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
159 places, 88,747 data points, 1462–2022
Last refreshed