Quick facts
Cape Town overview
Cape Town (orange) and the other large cities of South Africa
Cape Town lies in Western Cape in South Africa at 33.93°S, 18.42°E, about 25 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Johannesburg (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Johannesburg (9,418,183) and larger than Durban (3,338,026). 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 1,308 km away; the nearest large city is Somerset West, 41 km from Cape Town.
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 Cape Town
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Somerset West Western Cape | 41 km | 225,289 |
| Paarl Western Cape | 55 km | 236,910 |
| Worcester Western Cape | 100 km | 127,597 |
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 Cape Town?
Cape Town has about 4,772,846 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Cape Town the capital of South Africa?
No. The capital of South Africa is Pretoria (2,112,693 people), about 1,308 km away. Cape Town is the 2nd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Cape Town compared with the rest of South Africa?
Its 4,772,846 residents are 7.3% of the 65,656,172 people living in South Africa today. Johannesburg is larger with 9,418,183 people.
Where is Cape Town?
In Western Cape, South Africa, at latitude -33.93 and longitude 18.42, 25 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Somerset West (41 km), Paarl (55 km), Worcester (100 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Cape Town Population 2026 — South Africa. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/cape-town/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/cape-town/">Cape Town 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.