South Africa vs India
Every indicator for South Africa and India side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | South Africa | India | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 64,747,319 | 1,463,865,525 | −95.6% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 427 | 3,956 | −89.2% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 6,598 | 2,702 | +144.2% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 66.3 | 72.2 | — |
| Area (km²) | 1,219,090 | 3,287,260 | −62.9% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 53 | 445 | −88.1% |
| Median age (years) | 28.0 | 28.4 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 78.4 | 70.0 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 32.4 | 4.2 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 3.2 | 2.4 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 63.8 | 35.7 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 2,836 | 86,126 | −96.7% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 0.70 | 2.27 | −69.2% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 2.11 | 7.63 | −72.3% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 44 | 59 | −25.6% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 89,000 | 3,068,000 | −97.1% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 1.4 | 2.1 | −34.4% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 0.40 | 0.58 | −31.0% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of South Africa relative to India; a positive value favors South Africa. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
Key differences
- On population (2025), South Africa is 95.6% lower than India.
- On gdp (nominal), South Africa is 89.2% lower than India.
- On gdp per capita, South Africa is 144.2% higher than India.
South AfricaIndia
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 South Africa or India.
South Africa profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
India profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI