Quick facts
Newcastle overview
Newcastle (orange) and the other large cities of South Africa
Newcastle lies in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa at 27.76°S, 29.93°E, about 1,195 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Johannesburg (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Welkom (431,944) and larger than Krugersdorp (378,821). 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 283 km away; the nearest large city is Vryheid, 85 km from Newcastle.
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 Newcastle
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Vryheid KwaZulu-Natal | 85 km | 150,012 |
| Ladysmith KwaZulu-Natal | 90 km | 143,446 |
| Standerton Mpumalanga | 114 km | 101,101 |
| Ermelo Mpumalanga | 136 km | 100,324 |
| eMbalenhle Mpumalanga | 161 km | 142,443 |
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 Newcastle?
Newcastle has about 404,838 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Newcastle the capital of South Africa?
No. The capital of South Africa is Pretoria (2,112,693 people), about 283 km away. Newcastle is the 17th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Newcastle compared with the rest of South Africa?
Its 404,838 residents are 0.6% of the 65,656,172 people living in South Africa today. Johannesburg is larger with 9,418,183 people.
Where is Newcastle?
In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, at latitude -27.76 and longitude 29.93, 1,195 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Vryheid (85 km), Ladysmith (90 km), Standerton (114 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Newcastle Population 2026 — South Africa. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/newcastle/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/newcastle/">Newcastle 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.