Quick facts
Welkom overview
Welkom (orange) and the other large cities of South Africa
Welkom lies in Free State in South Africa at 27.98°S, 26.74°E, about 1,376 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Johannesburg (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Boksburg (445,168) and larger than Newcastle (404,838). 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 287 km away; the nearest large city is Virginia, 19 km from Welkom.
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 Welkom
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Free State | 19 km | 122,502 |
| Kroonstad Free State | 61 km | 117,152 |
| Orkney North West | 111 km | 110,052 |
| Klerksdorp North West | 125 km | 227,039 |
| Bloemfontein Free State | 137 km | 556,637 |
| Botshabelo Free State | 143 km | 309,714 |
| Potchefstroom North West | 145 km | 178,285 |
| Sasolburg Free State | 168 km | 135,828 |
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 Welkom?
Welkom has about 431,944 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Welkom the capital of South Africa?
No. The capital of South Africa is Pretoria (2,112,693 people), about 287 km away. Welkom is the 16th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Welkom compared with the rest of South Africa?
Its 431,944 residents are 0.7% of the 65,656,172 people living in South Africa today. Johannesburg is larger with 9,418,183 people.
Where is Welkom?
In Free State, South Africa, at latitude -27.98 and longitude 26.74, 1,376 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Virginia (19 km), Kroonstad (61 km), Orkney (111 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Welkom Population 2026 — South Africa. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/welkom/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/welkom/">Welkom 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.