China vs South Africa
Every indicator for China and South Africa side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | China | South Africa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 1,406,585,000 | 64,747,319 | +2,072.4% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 19,498 | 427 | +4,466.3% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 13,862 | 6,598 | +110.1% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 66.3 | — |
| Area (km²) | 9,562,910 | 1,219,090 | +684.4% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 147 | 53 | +176.9% |
| Median age (years) | 39.6 | 28.0 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 91.6 | 78.4 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 4.6 | 32.4 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 0.1 | 3.2 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 66.3 | 63.8 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 313,658 | 2,836 | +10,959.9% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 1.71 | 0.70 | +144.3% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 5.06 | 2.11 | +139.8% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 223 | 44 | +409.1% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 2,535,000 | 89,000 | +2,748.3% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 1.8 | 1.4 | +31.1% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 0.33 | 0.40 | −17.5% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of China relative to South Africa; a positive value favors China. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
Key differences
- On population (2025), China is 2,072.4% higher than South Africa.
- On gdp (nominal), China is 4,466.3% higher than South Africa.
- On gdp per capita, China is 110.1% higher than South Africa.
ChinaSouth 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 China or South Africa.
China profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
South Africa profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI