Population drops in 5 provinces

Although the country's population had grown by 18 percent, the Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and North West all currently contributed smaller numbers to the total population than they did in 2001, the SAIRR said in a statement.

Five provinces have recorded a drop in their share of the country's population in the past 12 years, the SA Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) said.

Although the country's population had grown by 18 percent, the Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and North West all currently contributed smaller numbers to the total population than they did in 2001, the SAIRR said in a statement.

"In 2001, KwaZulu-Natal held the biggest share of the total population but is now second to Gauteng," researcher Thuthukani Ndebele said.

"The Northern Cape's change in proportion was highest, although it still contributes the least to the whole population."

The institute obtained the figures from the national census conducted by Statistics SA in 2001 and the 2013 mid-year-estimates.

The statistics reveal that the Eastern Cape made up 14.4 percent of the country's population in 2001. The number dropped to 12.2 percent this year.

The Free State contributed six percent of the country's total population 12 years ago. It decreased to 5.2 percent in 2013.

KwaZulu-Natal made up 21 percent of the population in 2001 but recorded a 19.7 percent contribution this year.

Limpopo's population made up 11.8 percent of the total in 2001, and fell to 10.4 percent in 2013.

The North West contributed 8.2 percent of the country's population in 2001 but experienced a significant drop to 6.8 percent in 2013.

Gauteng, the province with the largest growth population, contributed 19.7 percent of the country's population in 2001. The number increased to 24 percent in 2013.

The country's total population had increased to 52,982,000 in 2013. Twelve years ago the figure was 44,819,778.