<P> Since the election of 27 April 1994, South Africa has been divided into nine provinces . They vary widely in population density, from the highly urbanized Gauteng with nearly 700 people per square kilometre, to the mostly - desert Northern Cape with less than four people per square kilometre . The following table shows the provincial population density according to the 2011 National Census . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th> Province </Th> <Th> Population (2011) </Th> <Th> Area (km2) </Th> <Th> Density (per km2) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Gauteng </Td> <Td> 12,272,263 </Td> <Td> 18,178 </Td> <Td> 675.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> KwaZulu - Natal </Td> <Td> 10,267,300 </Td> <Td> 120,361 </Td> <Td> 85.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Mpumalanga </Td> <Td> 4,039,939 </Td> <Td> 76,495 </Td> <Td> 52.8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Western Cape </Td> <Td> 5,822,734 </Td> <Td> 129,462 </Td> <Td> 45.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Limpopo </Td> <Td> 5,404,868 </Td> <Td> 125,755 </Td> <Td> 43.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Eastern Cape </Td> <Td> 6,562,053 </Td> <Td> 168,966 </Td> <Td> 38.8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> North West </Td> <Td> 3,509,953 </Td> <Td> 104,882 </Td> <Td> 33.5 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> Free State </Td> <Td> 2,745,590 </Td> <Td> 129,825 </Td> <Td> 21.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> Northern Cape </Td> <Td> 1,145,861 </Td> <Td> 372,889 </Td> <Td> 3.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> South Africa </Td> <Td> 51,770,561 </Td> <Td> 1,220,813 </Td> <Td> 42.4 </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th> Province </Th> <Th> Population (2011) </Th> <Th> Area (km2) </Th> <Th> Density (per km2) </Th> </Tr>

Which province has the smallest population in south africa