Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Belgium fits inside South Africa 40 times.
Belgium: 30,689 km² (2023) · South Africa: 1,219,090 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
South Africa’s coastline is 42 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 67 km (2026 edition) · South Africa: 2,798 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
South Africa’s highest peak towers 2,756 m above Belgium’s.
Belgium: 694 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 5.4 times as many people as Belgium.
Belgium: 11.9 million (2025) · South Africa: 64.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Belgium is 7.3 times as densely populated as South Africa.
Belgium: 392 per km² (2025) · South Africa: 53 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Belgium are 9.5 cm taller than in South Africa.
Belgium: 179.1 cm (2019) · South Africa: 169.6 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Belgium are 4.8 cm taller than in South Africa.
Belgium: 163.4 cm (2019) · South Africa: 158.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Belgium is 13 years older than in South Africa.
Belgium: 41.4 years (2023) · South Africa: 28.2 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in South Africa have 0.8 more children on average than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1.44 children per woman (2024) · South Africa: 2.21 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
21% of people in Belgium are 65 or older, versus 6.9% in South Africa.
Belgium: 21% (2025) · South Africa: 6.9% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Belgium has produced 7.5 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, South Africa 1.4.
Belgium: 7.5 (2025) · South Africa: 1.4 (2025)
How many official languages?
South Africa has 11 official languages, Belgium 3.
Belgium: 3 (2026) · South Africa: 11 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Belgium’s economy is 70% larger than South Africa’s.
Belgium: $725 billion (2025) · South Africa: $427 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Belgium produces 4.7 times as much per person as South Africa.
Belgium: Int$74,676 (2025) · South Africa: Int$15,906 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in South Africa than in Belgium (Gini 27.3 points higher).
Belgium: 26.8 (2023) · South Africa: 54.1 (2022)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 32% in South Africa, versus 5.9% in Belgium.
Belgium: 5.9% (2025) · South Africa: 32.4% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Belgium spends 1.3% of its GDP on the military, South Africa 0.7%.
Belgium: 1.3% (2024) · South Africa: 0.7% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Belgium’s price level (US = 100) is 2× South Africa’s.
Belgium: 81% (2025) · South Africa: 41% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Belgium spends 11 times as much on health per person as South Africa.
Belgium: $5,931 (2023) · South Africa: $537 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Belgium live 16 years longer than in South Africa.
Belgium: 82.3 years (2024) · South Africa: 66.3 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in South Africa is 7.8 times as likely to die before turning one as in Belgium.
Belgium: 3.1 per 1,000 (2024) · South Africa: 24.2 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Belgium has 4.5 times as many doctors per person as South Africa.
Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022) · South Africa: 0.8 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
31% of adults in South Africa are obese, versus 23% in Belgium.
Belgium: 22.9% (2024) · South Africa: 31.3% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
South Africa and Belgium are practically level.
Belgium: 23.5% (2024) · South Africa: 23.7% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Belgium rate their lives 1.92 points higher than in South Africa.
Belgium: 6.93 (2025) · South Africa: 5.01 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Belgium drink 10% more alcohol than in South Africa.
Belgium: 9.5 litres (2023) · South Africa: 8.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Belgium has 3% more meat per person than South Africa.
Belgium: 60 kg (2023) · South Africa: 58.3 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Belgium has 1,227 kcal more food per person per day than South Africa.
Belgium: 3,921 kcal (2023) · South Africa: 2,694 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in South Africa put in 588 more hours a year than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1,593 hours (2023) · South Africa: 2,181 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Belgium went to school 1.1 years longer than in South Africa.
Belgium: 12.7 years (2023) · South Africa: 11.6 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Belgium welcomed 5.8 times as many tourists per resident as South Africa (2019).
Belgium: 0.81 (2024) · South Africa: 0.14 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
96% of people in Belgium are online, versus 78% in South Africa.
Belgium: 96% (2024) · South Africa: 78% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in Belgium have electricity, versus 90% in South Africa.
Belgium: 100% (2024) · South Africa: 90.2% (2024)
How many live in cities?
88% of people in Belgium live in cities, versus 64% in South Africa.
Belgium: 88% (2025) · South Africa: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
South Africa has 179 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium 104.
Belgium: 104 (2024) · South Africa: 179 (2024)
How much railway is there?
South Africa’s railway network is 5.8 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 3,612 km (2021) · South Africa: 20,953 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Belgium fly 4 times as many passengers per resident as those from South Africa.
Belgium: 0.95 (2023) · South Africa: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 23% of Belgium, but only 14% of South Africa.
Belgium: 22.6% (2023) · South Africa: 14% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Belgium emits 6% more CO₂ than someone in South Africa.
Belgium: 7.3 t (2024) · South Africa: 6.9 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
39% of Belgium’s electricity is renewable, versus 14% in South Africa.
Belgium: 38.9% (2025) · South Africa: 13.6% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in South Africa carries 2.6 times as much fine dust as in Belgium.
Belgium: 9.3 µg/m³ (2024) · South Africa: 24.4 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 40 times as likely to be murdered in South Africa as in Belgium.
Belgium: 1.1 per 100k (2021) · South Africa: 43.7 per 100k (2022)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Africa are 5.3 times as deadly as in Belgium.
Belgium: 4.6 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 7.4 °C warmer than Belgium.
Belgium: 11°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Africa: 18.4°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Belgium gets 81% more rain than South Africa.
Belgium: 928 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Africa: 511 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Belgium bigger than South Africa?
South Africa is larger. Belgium fits inside South Africa 40 times.
Which has more people, Belgium or South Africa?
South Africa has 5.4 times as many people as Belgium (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Belgium or South Africa?
People in Belgium live 16 years longer than in South Africa. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Belgium and 66.3 in South Africa.
Are people taller in Belgium or South Africa?
Men in Belgium are 9.5 cm taller than in South Africa (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
