Quick facts
Bloemfontein overview
Bloemfontein (orange) and the other large cities of South Africa
Bloemfontein lies in Free State in South Africa at 29.12°S, 26.21°E, about 1,396 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Johannesburg (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Benoni (605,344) and larger than Thembisa (511,655). The largest city in South Africa is Johannesburg with 9,418,183 people; the capital, Pretoria, has 2,112,693.
The national capital, Pretoria, is about 423 km away; the nearest large city is Botshabelo, 52 km from Bloemfontein.
South Africa as a whole has a live population of 65,656,172 (+1.1% a year) and ranks #24 of 238 countries — see the South Africa population page for the full statistics and the South Africa atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Bloemfontein
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Botshabelo Free State | 52 km | 309,714 |
| Virginia Free State | 130 km | 122,502 |
| Welkom Free State | 137 km | 431,944 |
| Kimberley Northern Cape | 148 km | 142,089 |
| Kroonstad Free State | 192 km | 117,152 |
Largest cities in South Africa
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | 9,418,183 |
| 2 | Cape Town | Western Cape | 4,772,846 |
| 3 | Durban | KwaZulu-Natal | 3,338,026 |
| 4 | PretoriaCapital | Gauteng | 2,112,693 |
| 5 | Soweto | Gauteng | 1,695,047 |
| 6 | Gqeberha | Eastern Cape | 1,050,078 |
| 7 | Soshanguve | Gauteng | 872,309 |
| 8 | Pietermaritzburg | KwaZulu-Natal | 839,327 |
| 9 | Evaton | Gauteng | 725,468 |
| 10 | Benoni | Gauteng | 605,344 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bloemfontein?
Bloemfontein has about 556,637 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Bloemfontein the capital of South Africa?
No. The capital of South Africa is Pretoria (2,112,693 people), about 423 km away. Bloemfontein is the 11th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Bloemfontein compared with the rest of South Africa?
Its 556,637 residents are 0.8% of the 65,656,172 people living in South Africa today. Johannesburg is larger with 9,418,183 people.
Where is Bloemfontein?
In Free State, South Africa, at latitude -29.12 and longitude 26.21, 1,396 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Botshabelo (52 km), Virginia (130 km), Welkom (137 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Bloemfontein Population 2026 — South Africa. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/bloemfontein/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/bloemfontein/">Bloemfontein Population 2026 — South Africa</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.