How much coast is there?

South Africa’s coastline is 15% longer than Iran’s.

Iran: 2,440 km (2026 edition) · South Africa: 2,798 km (2026 edition)

How high can you climb?

Iran’s highest peak towers 2,175 m above South Africa’s.

Iran: 5,625 m (2026 edition) · South Africa: 3,450 m (2026 edition)

How many people live there?

Iran has 43% more people than South Africa.

Iran: 92.4 million (2025) · South Africa: 64.7 million (2025)

How crowded is it?

Iran is 7% more densely populated than South Africa.

Iran: 57 per km² (2025) · South Africa: 53 per km² (2025)

How old is the typical person?

The typical person in Iran is 4.7 years older than in South Africa.

Iran: 32.9 years (2023) · South Africa: 28.2 years (2023)

How many children per woman?

Women in South Africa have 0.5 more children on average than in Iran.

Iran: 1.68 children per woman (2024) · South Africa: 2.21 children per woman (2024)

How many people are 65 or older?

8.6% of people in Iran are 65 or older, versus 6.9% in South Africa.

Iran: 8.6% (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, Iran 0.3.

Iran: 0.3 (2025) · South Africa: 1.4 (2025)

How many official languages?

South Africa has 11 official languages, Iran 1.

Iran: 1 (2026) · South Africa: 11 (2026)

How big is the economy?

South Africa’s economy is 18% larger than Iran’s.

Iran: $363 billion (2025) · South Africa: $427 billion (2025)

How much is produced per person?

Iran produces 24% more per person than South Africa.

Iran: Int$19,699 (2025) · South Africa: Int$15,906 (2025)

How evenly is income shared?

Income is more unequally shared in South Africa than in Iran (Gini 18.2 points higher).

Iran: 35.9 (2023) · South Africa: 54.1 (2022)

How many people are looking for work?

Unemployment is 32% in South Africa, versus 8.3% in Iran.

Iran: 8.3% (2025) · South Africa: 32.4% (2025)

How much goes to the military?

Iran spends 2.0% of its GDP on the military, South Africa 0.7%.

Iran: 2% (2024) · South Africa: 0.7% (2024)

How expensive is it?

South Africa’s price level (US = 100) is 2.1× Iran’s.

Iran: 20% (2025) · South Africa: 41% (2025)

How much is spent on health?

South Africa spends 2 times as much on health per person as Iran.

Iran: $267 (2023) · South Africa: $537 (2023)

How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?

A baby in South Africa is 2.3 times as likely to die before turning one as in Iran.

Iran: 10.3 per 1,000 (2024) · South Africa: 24.2 per 1,000 (2024)

How many doctors are there?

Iran has 2.3 times as many doctors per person as South Africa.

Iran: 1.8 per 1,000 (2023) · South Africa: 0.8 per 1,000 (2022)

How common is obesity?

31% of adults in South Africa are obese, versus 26% in Iran.

Iran: 25.7% (2024) · South Africa: 31.3% (2024)

How many adults smoke?

24% of adults in South Africa smoke, versus 12% in Iran.

Iran: 11.9% (2024) · South Africa: 23.7% (2024)

How do people rate their lives?

People in Iran rate their lives 0.14 points higher than in South Africa.

Iran: 5.15 (2025) · South Africa: 5.01 (2025)

How much do people drink?

Adults in South Africa drink 418 times as much alcohol as in Iran.

Iran: 0.021 litres (2023) · South Africa: 8.6 litres (2023)

How much meat is on the menu?

South Africa has 95% more meat per person than Iran.

Iran: 29.9 kg (2023) · South Africa: 58.3 kg (2023)

How much food is there per day?

Iran has 181 kcal more food per person per day than South Africa.

Iran: 2,875 kcal (2023) · South Africa: 2,694 kcal (2023)

How long do people work?

Workers in Iran put in 65 more hours a year than in South Africa.

Iran: 2,246 hours (2023) · South Africa: 2,181 hours (2023)

How long do people go to school?

Adults in South Africa went to school 0.76 years longer than in Iran.

Iran: 10.8 years (2023) · South Africa: 11.6 years (2023)

How many tourists visit?

Iran: no data · South Africa: 0.14 (2024)

How many people are online?

85% of people in Iran are online, versus 78% in South Africa.

Iran: 85% (2024) · South Africa: 78% (2024)

Who has electricity at home?

100% of people in Iran have electricity, versus 90% in South Africa.

Iran: 100% (2024) · South Africa: 90.2% (2024)

How many live in cities?

77% of people in Iran live in cities, versus 64% in South Africa.

Iran: 77% (2025) · South Africa: 64% (2025)

How many phones per person?

South Africa has 179 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Iran 174.

Iran: 174 (2024) · South Africa: 179 (2024)

How much railway is there?

South Africa’s railway network is 2.2 times as long as Iran’s.

Iran: 9,455 km (2021) · South Africa: 20,953 km (2021)

How much do they fly?

Airlines from South Africa fly 22% more passengers per resident than those from Iran.

Iran: 0.2 (2023) · South Africa: 0.24 (2023)

How much of the land is forest?

Forest covers 14% of South Africa, but only 6.6% of Iran.

Iran: 6.6% (2023) · South Africa: 14% (2023)

How much CO₂ does each person emit?

The average person in Iran emits 26% more CO₂ than someone in South Africa.

Iran: 8.7 t (2024) · South Africa: 6.9 t (2024)

How green is the power grid?

14% of South Africa’s electricity is renewable, versus 3.8% in Iran.

Iran: 3.8% (2025) · South Africa: 13.6% (2025)

How clean is the air?

The air in Iran carries 55% more fine dust than in South Africa.

Iran: 37.7 µg/m³ (2024) · South Africa: 24.4 µg/m³ (2024)

How common is murder?

You are 18 times as likely to be murdered in South Africa as in Iran.

Iran: 2.4 per 100k (2014) · South Africa: 43.7 per 100k (2022)

How dangerous are the roads?

Roads in South Africa are 19% deadlier than in Iran.

Iran: 20.6 per 100k (2021) · South Africa: 24.5 per 100k (2021)

How warm is it?

Iran is on average 0.9 °C warmer than South Africa.

Iran: 19.3°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Africa: 18.4°C (2016–2025 avg)

How much rain falls?

South Africa gets 88% more rain than Iran.

Iran: 272 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Africa: 511 mm (2016–2025 avg)