Thailand’s coastline is 15% longer than South Africa’s

South Africa: 2,798 km (2026 edition) · Thailand: 3,219 km (2026 edition)

South Africa’s highest peak towers 885 m above Thailand’s

South Africa: 3,450 m (2026 edition) · Thailand: 2,565 m (2026 edition)

Farmland covers 79% of South Africa, versus 43% of Thailand

South Africa: 79.4% (2024) · Thailand: 43.3% (2024)

Thailand has 11% more people than South Africa

South Africa: 64.7 million (2025) · Thailand: 71.6 million (2025)

Thailand is 2.6 times as densely populated as South Africa

South Africa: 53 per km² (2025) · Thailand: 140 per km² (2025)

The typical person in Thailand is 11 years older than in South Africa

South Africa: 28.2 years (2023) · Thailand: 39.7 years (2023)

Women in South Africa have 1.0 more children on average than in Thailand

South Africa: 2.21 children per woman (2024) · Thailand: 1.2 children per woman (2024)

16% of people in Thailand are 65 or older, versus 6.9% in South Africa

South Africa: 6.9% (2025) · Thailand: 16% (2025)

Thailand hosts 38% more refugees per resident than South Africa

South Africa: 0.9 per 1,000 (2025) · Thailand: 1.2 per 1,000 (2025)

South Africa has produced 1.5 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Thailand none

South Africa: 1.5 (2026) · Thailand: 0 (2026)

South Africa has 11 official languages, Thailand 1

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

Thailand’s economy is 35% larger than South Africa’s

South Africa: $427 billion (2025) · Thailand: $577 billion (2025)

Thailand produces 65% more per person than South Africa

South Africa: Int$15,906 (2025) · Thailand: Int$26,250 (2025)

Income is more unequally shared in South Africa than in Thailand (Gini 20.8 points higher)

South Africa: 54.1 (2022) · Thailand: 33.3 (2024)

17% of people in South Africa live on less than $3 a day, versus 0% in Thailand

South Africa: 17.4% (2022) · Thailand: 0% (2024)

Unemployment is 32% in South Africa, versus 0.8% in Thailand

South Africa: 32.4% (2025) · Thailand: 0.8% (2025)

Thailand and South Africa are practically level

South Africa: 0.7% (2025) · Thailand: 1% (2025)

South Africa’s central government collects 26% of GDP in tax, Thailand’s 15%

South Africa: 25.9% (2024) · Thailand: 15.2% (2024)

South Africa’s price level (US = 100) is 1.4× Thailand’s

South Africa: 41% (2025) · Thailand: 31% (2025)

South Africa spends 64% more on health per person than Thailand

South Africa: $537 (2023) · Thailand: $327 (2023)

A baby in South Africa is 3.1 times as likely to die before turning one as in Thailand

South Africa: 24.2 per 1,000 (2024) · Thailand: 7.7 per 1,000 (2024)

South Africa has 47% more doctors per person than Thailand

South Africa: 0.8 per 1,000 (2022) · Thailand: 0.5 per 1,000 (2021)

South Africa: no data · Thailand: 2.4 per 1,000 (2023)

The suicide rate in South Africa is 69% higher than in Thailand

South Africa: 16.2 per 100k (2023) · Thailand: 9.6 per 100k (2023)

31% of adults in South Africa are obese, versus 16% in Thailand

South Africa: 31.3% (2024) · Thailand: 15.5% (2024)

24% of adults in South Africa smoke, versus 18% in Thailand

South Africa: 23.7% (2024) · Thailand: 17.8% (2024)

People in Thailand rate their lives 1.29 points higher than in South Africa

South Africa: 5.01 (2025) · Thailand: 6.30 (2025)

Adults in South Africa drink 9% more alcohol than in Thailand

South Africa: 8.6 litres (2023) · Thailand: 7.9 litres (2023)

South Africa has 2.4 times as much meat per person as Thailand

South Africa: 58.3 kg (2023) · Thailand: 24.5 kg (2023)

Thailand has 161 kcal more food per person per day than South Africa

South Africa: 2,694 kcal (2023) · Thailand: 2,855 kcal (2023)

South Africa and Thailand are practically level

South Africa: 2,181 hours (2023) · Thailand: 2,177 hours (2023)

Adults in South Africa went to school 2.6 years longer than in Thailand

South Africa: 11.6 years (2023) · Thailand: 9 years (2023)

Thailand welcomed 4 times as many tourists per resident as South Africa (2019)

South Africa: 0.14 (2024) · Thailand: 0.56 (2019)

South Africa has 3 more World Heritage sites than Thailand (12 against 9)

South Africa: 12 (2026) · Thailand: 9 (2026)

South Africa has won 95 Olympic medals, Thailand 41

South Africa: 95 (2026 edition) · Thailand: 41 (2026 edition)

91% of people in Thailand are online, versus 78% in South Africa

South Africa: 78% (2024) · Thailand: 91% (2024)

Home internet in Thailand is 4.6 times as fast as in South Africa

South Africa: 78 Mbps (2026) · Thailand: 360 Mbps (2026)

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

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

64% of people in South Africa live in cities, versus 63% in Thailand

South Africa: 64% (2025) · Thailand: 63% (2025)

South Africa has 179 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Thailand 161

South Africa: 179 (2024) · Thailand: 161 (2024)

South Africa’s railway network is 5.1 times as long as Thailand’s

South Africa: 20,953 km (2021) · Thailand: 4,092 km (2017)

Airlines from Thailand fly 3 times as many passengers per resident as those from South Africa

South Africa: 0.24 (2023) · Thailand: 0.72 (2023)

Forest covers 39% of Thailand, but only 19% of South Africa

South Africa: 18.8% (2024) · Thailand: 38.7% (2024)

The average person in South Africa emits 84% more CO₂ than someone in Thailand

South Africa: 6.9 t (2024) · Thailand: 3.7 t (2024)

17% of Thailand’s electricity is renewable, versus 14% in South Africa

South Africa: 13.6% (2025) · Thailand: 16.6% (2025)

The air in South Africa carries 5% more fine dust than in Thailand

South Africa: 24.4 µg/m³ (2024) · Thailand: 23.3 µg/m³ (2024)

South Africa: 43.7 per 100k (2022) · Thailand: no data

Roads in Thailand are 8% deadlier than in South Africa

South Africa: 33.1 per 100k (2023) · Thailand: 35.6 per 100k (2023)

Thailand is on average 8.3 °C warmer than South Africa

South Africa: 18.4°C (2016–2025 avg) · Thailand: 26.8°C (2016–2025 avg)

Thailand gets 3.2 times as much rain as South Africa

South Africa: 511 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Thailand: 1,657 mm (2016–2025 avg)