The duel
- 12× The United Arab Emirates fits inside South Africa 12 times
- 5.6× South Africa has 5.6 times as many people as the United Arab Emirates
- +17 years People in the United Arab Emirates live 17 years longer than in South Africa
- 5× The United Arab Emirates produces 5 times as much per person as South Africa
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The United Arab Emirates fits inside South Africa 12 times
South Africa: 1,219,600 km² (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 98,648 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
South Africa’s coastline is 2.1 times as long as the United Arab Emirates’
South Africa: 2,798 km (2026 edition) · United Arab Emirates: 1,318 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
South Africa’s highest peak towers 1,545 m above the United Arab Emirates’
South Africa: 3,450 m (2026 edition) · United Arab Emirates: 1,905 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 79% of South Africa, versus 5.6% of the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 79.4% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 5.6% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
South Africa has 5.6 times as many people as the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 64.7 million (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 11.5 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The United Arab Emirates is 3 times as densely populated as South Africa
South Africa: 53 per km² (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 162 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the United Arab Emirates are 4.5 cm taller than in South Africa
South Africa: 169.6 cm (2019) · United Arab Emirates: 174.1 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the United Arab Emirates are 1.9 cm taller than in South Africa
South Africa: 158.6 cm (2019) · United Arab Emirates: 160.5 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in the United Arab Emirates is 3 years older than in South Africa
South Africa: 28.2 years (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 31.2 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in South Africa have 1.0 more children on average than in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 2.21 children per woman (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 1.21 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
6.9% of people in South Africa are 65 or older, versus 1.8% in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 6.9% (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 1.8% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
South Africa hosts 7.1 times as many refugees per resident as the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 0.9 per 1,000 (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 0.1 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
South Africa has produced 1.5 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the United Arab Emirates none
South Africa: 1.5 (2026) · United Arab Emirates: 0 (2026)
How many official languages?
South Africa has 11 official languages, the United Arab Emirates 1
South Africa: 11 (2026) · United Arab Emirates: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The United Arab Emirates’ economy is 29% larger than South Africa’s
South Africa: $427 billion (2025) · United Arab Emirates: $552 billion (2024)
How much is produced per person?
The United Arab Emirates produces 5 times as much per person as South Africa
South Africa: Int$15,906 (2025) · United Arab Emirates: Int$79,344 (2024)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in South Africa than in the United Arab Emirates (Gini 27.7 points higher)
South Africa: 54.1 (2022) · United Arab Emirates: 26.4 (2018)
How many live on less than $3 a day?
17% of people in South Africa live on less than $3 a day, versus 0% in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 17.4% (2022) · United Arab Emirates: 0% (2018)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 32% in South Africa, versus 2.2% in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 32.4% (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 2.2% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
The United Arab Emirates spends 5.6% of its GDP on the military, South Africa 0.7%
South Africa: 0.7% (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 5.6% (2014)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
South Africa’s central government collects 26% of GDP in tax, the United Arab Emirates’ 0.6%
South Africa: 25.9% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 0.6% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The United Arab Emirates’ price level (US = 100) is 1.5× South Africa’s
South Africa: 41% (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 63% (2024)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The United Arab Emirates spends 4.5 times as much on health per person as South Africa
South Africa: $537 (2023) · United Arab Emirates: $2,402 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in the United Arab Emirates live 17 years longer than in South Africa
South Africa: 66.3 years (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 83.1 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in South Africa is 6.4 times as likely to die before turning one as in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 24.2 per 1,000 (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 3.8 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
The United Arab Emirates has 3.8 times as many doctors per person as South Africa
South Africa: 0.8 per 1,000 (2022) · United Arab Emirates: 3 per 1,000 (2023)
How many hospital beds are there?
South Africa: no data · United Arab Emirates: 1.9 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in South Africa is 5.8 times that in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 16.2 per 100k (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 2.8 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
31% of adults in South Africa are obese, versus 30% in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 31.3% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 30.3% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
24% of adults in South Africa smoke, versus 9.0% in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 23.7% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 9% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the United Arab Emirates rate their lives 1.81 points higher than in South Africa
South Africa: 5.01 (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 6.82 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in South Africa drink 13 times as much alcohol as in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 8.6 litres (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 0.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The United Arab Emirates has 16% more meat per person than South Africa
South Africa: 58.3 kg (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 67.8 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The United Arab Emirates has 431 kcal more food per person per day than South Africa
South Africa: 2,694 kcal (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 3,125 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in the United Arab Emirates put in 333 more hours a year than in South Africa
South Africa: 2,181 hours (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 2,514 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the United Arab Emirates went to school 1.4 years longer than in South Africa
South Africa: 11.6 years (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 13 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
The United Arab Emirates welcomed 16 times as many tourists per resident as South Africa (2019)
South Africa: 0.14 (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 2.28 (2019)
How many World Heritage sites?
South Africa has 9 more World Heritage sites than the United Arab Emirates (12 against 3)
South Africa: 12 (2026) · United Arab Emirates: 3 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
South Africa has won 95 Olympic medals, the United Arab Emirates 2
South Africa: 95 (2026 edition) · United Arab Emirates: 2 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
100% of people in the United Arab Emirates are online, versus 78% in South Africa
South Africa: 78% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 100% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Home internet in the United Arab Emirates is 4.6 times as fast as in South Africa
South Africa: 78 Mbps (2026) · United Arab Emirates: 358 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in the United Arab Emirates have electricity, versus 90% in South Africa
South Africa: 90.2% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
86% of people in the United Arab Emirates live in cities, versus 64% in South Africa
South Africa: 64% (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 86% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The United Arab Emirates has 203 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, South Africa 179
South Africa: 179 (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 203 (2024)
How much railway is there?
South Africa’s railway network is 75 times as long as the United Arab Emirates’
South Africa: 20,953 km (2021) · United Arab Emirates: 279 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the United Arab Emirates fly 33 times as many passengers per resident as those from South Africa
South Africa: 0.24 (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 7.91 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 19% of South Africa, but only 4.6% of the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 18.8% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 4.6% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in the United Arab Emirates emits 2.9 times as much CO₂ as someone in South Africa
South Africa: 6.9 t (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 20.1 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
14% of South Africa’s electricity is renewable, versus 8.8% in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 13.6% (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 8.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in the United Arab Emirates carries 2.3 times as much fine dust as in South Africa
South Africa: 24.4 µg/m³ (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 55.7 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 63 times as likely to be murdered in South Africa as in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 43.7 per 100k (2022) · United Arab Emirates: 0.7 per 100k (2022)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Africa are 4.8 times as deadly as in the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 33.1 per 100k (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 6.9 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The United Arab Emirates is on average 10.4 °C warmer than South Africa
South Africa: 18.4°C (2016–2025 avg) · United Arab Emirates: 28.8°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
South Africa gets 11 times as much rain as the United Arab Emirates
South Africa: 511 mm (2016–2025 avg) · United Arab Emirates: 47 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Between them
People, goods and passports that cross from one to the other
Quick answers
Is South Africa bigger than the United Arab Emirates?
South Africa is larger. The United Arab Emirates fits inside South Africa 12 times.
Which has more people, South Africa or the United Arab Emirates?
South Africa has 5.6 times as many people as the United Arab Emirates (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, South Africa or the United Arab Emirates?
People in the United Arab Emirates live 17 years longer than in South Africa. Life expectancy at birth is 66.3 years in South Africa and 83.1 in the United Arab Emirates.
Are people taller in South Africa or the United Arab Emirates?
Men in the United Arab Emirates are 4.5 cm taller than in South Africa (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
