Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
South Africa fits inside Russia 14 times.
Russia: 17,125,200 km² (2023) · South Africa: 1,219,090 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Russia’s coastline is 13 times as long as South Africa’s.
Russia: 37,653 km (2026 edition) · South Africa: 2,798 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Russia’s highest peak towers 2,192 m above South Africa’s.
Russia: 5,642 m (2026 edition) · South Africa: 3,450 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Russia has 2.2 times as many people as South Africa.
Russia: 144 million (2025) · South Africa: 64.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
South Africa is 6.1 times as densely populated as Russia.
Russia: 9 per km² (2025) · South Africa: 53 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Russia are 7.0 cm taller than in South Africa.
Russia: 176.7 cm (2019) · South Africa: 169.6 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Russia are 5.9 cm taller than in South Africa.
Russia: 164.5 cm (2019) · South Africa: 158.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Russia is 11 years older than in South Africa.
Russia: 39.5 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 Russia.
Russia: 1.42 children per woman (2024) · South Africa: 2.21 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
18% of people in Russia are 65 or older, versus 6.9% in South Africa.
Russia: 17.8% (2025) · South Africa: 6.9% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Russia has produced 2.0 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, South Africa 1.4.
Russia: 2 (2025) · South Africa: 1.4 (2025)
How many official languages?
South Africa has 11 official languages, Russia 1.
Russia: 1 (2026) · South Africa: 11 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Russia’s economy is 6 times the size of South Africa’s.
Russia: $2.56 trillion (2025) · South Africa: $427 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Russia produces 3.1 times as much per person as South Africa.
Russia: Int$49,568 (2025) · South Africa: Int$15,906 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in South Africa than in Russia (Gini 21.1 points higher).
Russia: 33 (2023) · South Africa: 54.1 (2022)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 32% in South Africa, versus 2.1% in Russia.
Russia: 2.1% (2025) · South Africa: 32.4% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Russia spends 7.1% of its GDP on the military, South Africa 0.7%.
Russia: 7.1% (2024) · South Africa: 0.7% (2024)
How expensive is it?
South Africa’s price level (US = 100) is 1.2× Russia’s.
Russia: 35% (2025) · South Africa: 41% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Russia spends 87% more on health per person than South Africa.
Russia: $1,003 (2023) · South Africa: $537 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Russia live 7.1 years longer than in South Africa.
Russia: 73.4 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 Russia.
Russia: 4.1 per 1,000 (2024) · South Africa: 24.2 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Russia has 6.4 times as many doctors per person as South Africa.
Russia: 5.1 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 21% in Russia.
Russia: 21.2% (2024) · South Africa: 31.3% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
27% of adults in Russia smoke, versus 24% in South Africa.
Russia: 27% (2024) · South Africa: 23.7% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Russia rate their lives 0.82 points higher than in South Africa.
Russia: 5.83 (2025) · South Africa: 5.01 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Russia drink 21% more alcohol than in South Africa.
Russia: 10.4 litres (2023) · South Africa: 8.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Russia has 45% more meat per person than South Africa.
Russia: 84.8 kg (2023) · South Africa: 58.3 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Russia has 834 kcal more food per person per day than South Africa.
Russia: 3,528 kcal (2023) · South Africa: 2,694 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in South Africa put in 95 more hours a year than in Russia.
Russia: 2,087 hours (2023) · South Africa: 2,181 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Russia went to school 0.8 years longer than in South Africa.
Russia: 12.4 years (2023) · South Africa: 11.6 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Russia: no data · South Africa: 0.14 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
94% of people in Russia are online, versus 78% in South Africa.
Russia: 94% (2024) · South Africa: 78% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in Russia have electricity, versus 90% in South Africa.
Russia: 100% (2024) · South Africa: 90.2% (2024)
How many live in cities?
75% of people in Russia live in cities, versus 64% in South Africa.
Russia: 75% (2025) · South Africa: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Russia has 186 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, South Africa 179.
Russia: 186 (2024) · South Africa: 179 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Russia’s railway network is 4.1 times as long as South Africa’s.
Russia: 85,544 km (2021) · South Africa: 20,953 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Russia fly 2.9 times as many passengers per resident as those from South Africa.
Russia: 0.69 (2023) · South Africa: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 50% of Russia, but only 14% of South Africa.
Russia: 49.8% (2023) · South Africa: 14% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Russia emits 79% more CO₂ than someone in South Africa.
Russia: 12.3 t (2024) · South Africa: 6.9 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
17% of Russia’s electricity is renewable, versus 14% in South Africa.
Russia: 17.4% (2025) · South Africa: 13.6% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in South Africa carries 89% more fine dust than in Russia.
Russia: 12.9 µg/m³ (2024) · South Africa: 24.4 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 5.6 times as likely to be murdered in South Africa as in Russia.
Russia: 7.8 per 100k (2024) · South Africa: 43.7 per 100k (2022)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Africa are 2.3 times as deadly as in Russia.
Russia: 10.6 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 21.0 °C warmer than Russia.
Russia: -2.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Africa: 18.4°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Russia gets 15% more rain than South Africa.
Russia: 586 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Africa: 511 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Russia bigger than South Africa?
Russia is larger. South Africa fits inside Russia 14 times.
Which has more people, Russia or South Africa?
Russia has 2.2 times as many people as South Africa (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Russia or South Africa?
People in Russia live 7.1 years longer than in South Africa. Life expectancy at birth is 73.4 years in Russia and 66.3 in South Africa.
Are people taller in Russia or South Africa?
Men in Russia are 7.0 cm taller than in South Africa (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
Keep duelling
Russia vs Azerbaijan 
Russia vs Belarus 
Russia vs China 
Russia vs Estonia 
Russia vs Finland 
Russia vs Georgia 
South Africa vs Botswana 
South Africa vs Lesotho 
South Africa vs Mozambique 
South Africa vs Namibia 
South Africa vs Eswatini 
South Africa vs Zimbabwe 
Russia vs the world → South Africa vs the world →