Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
South Africa fits inside Argentina 2.3 times.
Argentina: 2,780,400 km² (2023) · South Africa: 1,219,090 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Argentina’s coastline is 78% longer than South Africa’s.
Argentina: 4,989 km (2026 edition) · South Africa: 2,798 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Argentina’s highest peak towers 3,512 m above South Africa’s.
Argentina: 6,962 m (2026 edition) · South Africa: 3,450 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
South Africa has 41% more people than Argentina.
Argentina: 45.9 million (2025) · South Africa: 64.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
South Africa is 3.2 times as densely populated as Argentina.
Argentina: 17 per km² (2025) · South Africa: 53 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Argentina are 5.1 cm taller than in South Africa.
Argentina: 174.8 cm (2019) · South Africa: 169.6 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Argentina are 2.6 cm taller than in South Africa.
Argentina: 161.2 cm (2019) · South Africa: 158.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Argentina is 3.9 years older than in South Africa.
Argentina: 32.1 years (2023) · South Africa: 28.2 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in South Africa have 0.7 more children on average than in Argentina.
Argentina: 1.5 children per woman (2024) · South Africa: 2.21 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
13% of people in Argentina are 65 or older, versus 6.9% in South Africa.
Argentina: 12.6% (2025) · South Africa: 6.9% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
South Africa has produced 1.4 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Argentina 0.9.
Argentina: 0.9 (2025) · South Africa: 1.4 (2025)
How many official languages?
South Africa has 11 official languages, Argentina 2.
Argentina: 2 (2026) · South Africa: 11 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Argentina’s economy is 60% larger than South Africa’s.
Argentina: $683 billion (2025) · South Africa: $427 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Argentina produces 2 times as much per person as South Africa.
Argentina: Int$32,587 (2025) · South Africa: Int$15,906 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in South Africa than in Argentina (Gini 11.7 points higher).
Argentina: 42.4 (2024) · South Africa: 54.1 (2022)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 32% in South Africa, versus 7.1% in Argentina.
Argentina: 7.1% (2025) · South Africa: 32.4% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
South Africa and Argentina are practically level.
Argentina: 0.6% (2024) · South Africa: 0.7% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Argentina’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× South Africa’s.
Argentina: 46% (2025) · South Africa: 41% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Argentina spends 2.7 times as much on health per person as South Africa.
Argentina: $1,457 (2023) · South Africa: $537 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Argentina live 11 years longer than in South Africa.
Argentina: 77.5 years (2024) · South Africa: 66.3 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in South Africa is 3 times as likely to die before turning one as in Argentina.
Argentina: 8 per 1,000 (2024) · South Africa: 24.2 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Argentina has 6.4 times as many doctors per person as South Africa.
Argentina: 5.1 per 1,000 (2023) · South Africa: 0.8 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
38% of adults in Argentina are obese, versus 31% in South Africa.
Argentina: 38.1% (2024) · South Africa: 31.3% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
South Africa and Argentina are practically level.
Argentina: 23.5% (2024) · South Africa: 23.7% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Argentina rate their lives 1.42 points higher than in South Africa.
Argentina: 6.43 (2025) · South Africa: 5.01 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in South Africa drink 22% more alcohol than in Argentina.
Argentina: 7.1 litres (2023) · South Africa: 8.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Argentina has 2 times as much meat per person as South Africa.
Argentina: 115 kg (2023) · South Africa: 58.3 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Argentina has 666 kcal more food per person per day than South Africa.
Argentina: 3,360 kcal (2023) · South Africa: 2,694 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in South Africa put in 569 more hours a year than in Argentina.
Argentina: 1,612 hours (2023) · South Africa: 2,181 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in South Africa went to school 0.43 years longer than in Argentina.
Argentina: 11.2 years (2023) · South Africa: 11.6 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Argentina welcomed 4% more tourists per resident than South Africa (2019).
Argentina: 0.14 (2024) · South Africa: 0.14 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
90% of people in Argentina are online, versus 78% in South Africa.
Argentina: 90% (2024) · South Africa: 78% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
98% of people in Argentina have electricity, versus 90% in South Africa.
Argentina: 98.4% (2024) · South Africa: 90.2% (2024)
How many live in cities?
92% of people in Argentina live in cities, versus 64% in South Africa.
Argentina: 92% (2025) · South Africa: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
South Africa has 179 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Argentina 140.
Argentina: 140 (2024) · South Africa: 179 (2024)
How much railway is there?
South Africa’s railway network is 17% longer than Argentina’s.
Argentina: 17,866 km (2019) · South Africa: 20,953 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Argentina fly 92% more passengers per resident than those from South Africa.
Argentina: 0.46 (2023) · South Africa: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 14% of South Africa, but only 10% of Argentina.
Argentina: 10.3% (2023) · South Africa: 14% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in South Africa emits 84% more CO₂ than someone in Argentina.
Argentina: 3.7 t (2024) · South Africa: 6.9 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
35% of Argentina’s electricity is renewable, versus 14% in South Africa.
Argentina: 34.6% (2025) · South Africa: 13.6% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in South Africa carries 68% more fine dust than in Argentina.
Argentina: 14.5 µg/m³ (2024) · South Africa: 24.4 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 9.7 times as likely to be murdered in South Africa as in Argentina.
Argentina: 4.5 per 100k (2023) · South Africa: 43.7 per 100k (2022)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Africa are 2.8 times as deadly as in Argentina.
Argentina: 8.8 per 100k (2021) · South Africa: 24.5 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
South Africa is on average 3.3 °C warmer than Argentina.
Argentina: 15.1°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Africa: 18.4°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Argentina gets 31% more rain than South Africa.
Argentina: 670 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Africa: 511 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Argentina bigger than South Africa?
Argentina is larger. South Africa fits inside Argentina 2.3 times.
Which has more people, Argentina or South Africa?
South Africa has 41% more people than Argentina (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Argentina or South Africa?
People in Argentina live 11 years longer than in South Africa. Life expectancy at birth is 77.5 years in Argentina and 66.3 in South Africa.
Are people taller in Argentina or South Africa?
Men in Argentina are 5.1 cm taller than in South Africa (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
Keep duelling
Argentina vs Bolivia 
Argentina vs Brazil 
Argentina vs Chile 
Argentina vs Paraguay 
Argentina vs Uruguay 
South Africa vs Botswana 
South Africa vs Lesotho 
South Africa vs Mozambique 
South Africa vs Namibia 
South Africa vs Eswatini 
South Africa vs Zimbabwe 
Argentina vs the world → South Africa vs the world →