Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
South Africa fits inside China 7.8 times.
China: 9,562,910 km² (2023) · South Africa: 1,219,090 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
China’s coastline is 5.2 times as long as South Africa’s.
China: 14,500 km (2026 edition) · South Africa: 2,798 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
China’s highest peak towers 5,399 m above South Africa’s.
China: 8,849 m (2026 edition) · South Africa: 3,450 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
China has 22 times as many people as South Africa.
China: 1.41 billion (2025) · South Africa: 64.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
China is 2.8 times as densely populated as South Africa.
China: 150 per km² (2025) · South Africa: 53 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in China are 6.0 cm taller than in South Africa.
China: 175.7 cm (2019) · South Africa: 169.6 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in China are 4.9 cm taller than in South Africa.
China: 163.5 cm (2019) · South Africa: 158.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in China is 11 years older than in South Africa.
China: 39.1 years (2023) · South Africa: 28.2 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in South Africa have 1.2 more children on average than in China.
China: 1.01 children per woman (2024) · South Africa: 2.21 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
15% of people in China are 65 or older, versus 6.9% in South Africa.
China: 14.9% (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, China 0.1.
China: 0.1 (2025) · South Africa: 1.4 (2025)
How many official languages?
South Africa has 11 official languages, China 1.
China: 1 (2026) · South Africa: 11 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
China’s economy is 46 times the size of South Africa’s.
China: $19.5 trillion (2025) · South Africa: $427 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
China produces 84% more per person than South Africa.
China: Int$29,333 (2025) · South Africa: Int$15,906 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in South Africa than in China (Gini 18.1 points higher).
China: 36 (2022) · South Africa: 54.1 (2022)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 32% in South Africa, versus 4.6% in China.
China: 4.6% (2025) · South Africa: 32.4% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
China spends 1.7% of its GDP on the military, South Africa 0.7%.
China: 1.7% (2024) · South Africa: 0.7% (2024)
How expensive is it?
China’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× South Africa’s.
China: 47% (2025) · South Africa: 41% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
China spends 42% more on health per person than South Africa.
China: $763 (2023) · South Africa: $537 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in China live 12 years longer than in South Africa.
China: 78 years (2024) · South Africa: 66.3 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in South Africa is 5.9 times as likely to die before turning one as in China.
China: 4.1 per 1,000 (2024) · South Africa: 24.2 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
China has 3.9 times as many doctors per person as South Africa.
China: 3.1 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 9.1% in China.
China: 9.1% (2024) · South Africa: 31.3% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
24% of adults in South Africa smoke, versus 23% in China.
China: 22.8% (2024) · South Africa: 23.7% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in China rate their lives 1.06 points higher than in South Africa.
China: 6.07 (2025) · South Africa: 5.01 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in South Africa drink 2.3 times as much alcohol as in China.
China: 3.7 litres (2023) · South Africa: 8.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
China has 26% more meat per person than South Africa.
China: 73.5 kg (2023) · South Africa: 58.3 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
China has 833 kcal more food per person per day than South Africa.
China: 3,527 kcal (2023) · South Africa: 2,694 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in China put in 146 more hours a year than in South Africa.
China: 2,328 hours (2023) · South Africa: 2,181 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in South Africa went to school 3.6 years longer than in China.
China: 8 years (2023) · South Africa: 11.6 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
South Africa welcomed 3 times as many tourists per resident as China (2019).
China: 0.05 (2019) · South Africa: 0.14 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
92% of people in China are online, versus 78% in South Africa.
China: 92% (2025) · South Africa: 78% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in China have electricity, versus 90% in South Africa.
China: 100% (2024) · South Africa: 90.2% (2024)
How many live in cities?
66% of people in China live in cities, versus 64% in South Africa.
China: 66% (2025) · South Africa: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
South Africa has 179 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, China 132.
China: 132 (2024) · South Africa: 179 (2024)
How much railway is there?
China’s railway network is 5.2 times as long as South Africa’s.
China: 109,767 km (2021) · South Africa: 20,953 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from China fly 84% more passengers per resident than those from South Africa.
China: 0.44 (2023) · South Africa: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 24% of China, but only 14% of South Africa.
China: 24% (2023) · South Africa: 14% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in China emits 26% more CO₂ than someone in South Africa.
China: 8.7 t (2024) · South Africa: 6.9 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
37% of China’s electricity is renewable, versus 14% in South Africa.
China: 37% (2025) · South Africa: 13.6% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in China carries 28% more fine dust than in South Africa.
China: 31.3 µg/m³ (2024) · South Africa: 24.4 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 87 times as likely to be murdered in South Africa as in China.
China: 0.5 per 100k (2020) · South Africa: 43.7 per 100k (2022)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Africa are 41% deadlier than in China.
China: 17.4 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 10.6 °C warmer than China.
China: 7.8°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Africa: 18.4°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
China gets 59% more rain than South Africa.
China: 813 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Africa: 511 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is China bigger than South Africa?
China is larger. South Africa fits inside China 7.8 times.
Which has more people, China or South Africa?
China has 22 times as many people as South Africa (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, China or South Africa?
People in China live 12 years longer than in South Africa. Life expectancy at birth is 78.0 years in China and 66.3 in South Africa.
Are people taller in China or South Africa?
Men in China are 6.0 cm taller than in South Africa (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
Keep duelling
China vs Afghanistan 
China vs Bhutan 
China vs Myanmar 
China vs Hong Kong 
China vs India 
China vs Kazakhstan 
South Africa vs Botswana 
South Africa vs Lesotho 
South Africa vs Mozambique 
South Africa vs Namibia 
South Africa vs Eswatini 
South Africa vs Zimbabwe 
China vs the world → South Africa vs the world →