United States vs South Africa
Every indicator for United States and South Africa side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | United States | South Africa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 341,784,857 | 64,747,319 | +427.9% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 30,770 | 427 | +7,106.1% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 90,027 | 6,598 | +1,264.5% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.9 | 66.3 | — |
| Area (km²) | 9,831,510 | 1,219,090 | +706.5% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 35 | 53 | −34.5% |
| Median age (years) | 38.3 | 28.0 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 94.7 | 78.4 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 4.2 | 32.4 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.9 | 3.2 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 80.2 | 63.8 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 997,309 | 2,836 | +35,066.0% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 3.42 | 0.70 | +388.6% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 9.11 | 2.11 | +331.8% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 2,918 | 44 | +6,561.8% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 1,395,000 | 89,000 | +1,467.4% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 4.1 | 1.4 | +196.9% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 0.84 | 0.40 | +110.0% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of United States relative to South Africa; a positive value favors United States. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
Key differences
- On population (2025), United States is 427.9% higher than South Africa.
- On gdp (nominal), United States is 7,106.1% higher than South Africa.
- On gdp per capita, United States is 1,264.5% higher than South Africa.
United StatesSouth Africa
The indicators use different scales, so the chart is a rough visual comparison only; use the table for exact figures.
Related comparisons
Other comparisons involving United States or South Africa.
United States profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
South Africa profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI