United Kingdom vs South Africa
Every indicator for United Kingdom and South Africa side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | United Kingdom | South Africa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 69,487,000 | 64,747,319 | +7.3% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 4,003 | 427 | +837.5% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 57,602 | 6,598 | +773.0% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.4 | 66.3 | — |
| Area (km²) | 243,610 | 1,219,090 | −80.0% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 285 | 53 | +437.1% |
| Median age (years) | 40.6 | 28.0 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 95.5 | 78.4 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 4.7 | 32.4 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 3.9 | 3.2 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 83.3 | 63.8 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 81,763 | 2,836 | +2,783.0% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.28 | 0.70 | +225.7% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 5.25 | 2.11 | +148.8% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 1,177 | 44 | +2,586.4% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 153,000 | 89,000 | +71.9% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 2.2 | 1.4 | +60.2% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 0.45 | 0.40 | +12.5% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of United Kingdom relative to South Africa; a positive value favors United Kingdom. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
Key differences
- On population (2025), United Kingdom is 7.3% higher than South Africa.
- On gdp (nominal), United Kingdom is 837.5% higher than South Africa.
- On gdp per capita, United Kingdom is 773.0% higher than South Africa.
United KingdomSouth 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 Kingdom or South Africa.
United Kingdom profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
South Africa profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI