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Argentina vs South Africa
Side-by-side comparison of Argentina and South Africa from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Argentina
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 210 years
South Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 116 years
In short
Argentina scores 54.6 in the NationsTree Index (72nd in the world) and South Africa scores 41.9 (122nd), a gap of 12.7 points. Their trees are 23 m and 18 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
South Africa has 41% more people than Argentina. Argentina is 2.3 times larger than South Africa by land area. The economy of Argentina is 45% larger than that of South Africa (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Argentina 45.9 million and South Africa 64.7 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $32,587 in Argentina and $15,906 in South Africa (2025, international dollars). People in Argentina live on average 11.2 years longer (77.5 vs 66.3 years).
Of 36 indicators reported by both countries, Argentina ranks higher in the world on 25 and South Africa on 11. Argentina is clearly stronger in society & health, economy and infrastructure & digital. South Africa is clearly stronger in trade.
As a nation, Argentina is the older of the two (statehood since 1816, 210 years), compared with South Africa (since 1910). Over the last five years Argentina improved faster (direction score 19 vs 7 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Argentina and South Africa.
Argentinabetter
107.8%
9th of 150
South Africa
23.5%
115th of 150
Government budget balanceEconomy
Argentinabetter
-0.2%
40th of 192
South Africa
-5.6%
160th of 192
PhysiciansSociety & health
Argentinabetter
5.11
9th of 174
South Africa
0.79
108th of 174
InflationEconomy
Argentina
219.9%
180th of 180
South Africabetter
3.2%
92nd of 180
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Argentinabetter
6,431
60th of 183
South Africa
718
145th of 183
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Argentina overtook South Africa in GDP (PPP) in 2005 and has stayed ahead since.
Argentina has been ahead of South Africa in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1995.
Argentina has been ahead of South Africa in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
South Africa has been ahead of Argentina in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
ArgentinaSouth Africa All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Argentina | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 2,780,4008th/216 · 2024 | 1,219,60224th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 2,736,6908th/216 · 2024 | 1,213,09024th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 45.9 m35th/217 · 2025 | 64.7 m24th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.34%152nd/217 · 2025 | 1.15%93rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 16.7195th/216 · 2024 | 52.8151st/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 92.4%25th/217 · 2025 | 63.8%111th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 21.0%117th/217 · 2025 | 25.7%91st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 12.6%80th/217 · 2025 | 6.9%126th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $683.10 bn24th/210 · 2025 | $427.18 bn40th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.49 trn28th/199 · 2025 | $1.03 trn32nd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.28 trn28th/199 · 2025 | $880.05 bn32nd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $14,89886th/210 · 2025 | $6,598125th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $32,58779th/199 · 2025 | $15,906120th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $14,65077th/201 · 2025 | $6,270116th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.4%69th/210 · 2025 | 1.1%169th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 219.9%180th/180 · 2024 | 3.2%92nd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 7.1%128th/187 · 2025 | 32.4%186th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 82.8%45th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 80.1%146th/189 · 2025 | 78.4%145th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -0.2%40th/192 · 2025 | -5.6%160th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 5.5%103rd/197 · 2025 | 2.8%130th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 22.9%106th/200 · 2025 | 24.1%95th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 13.6%55th/192 · 2025 | 12.3%76th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 56.2%114th/200 · 2025 | 63.1%67th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $106.26 bn48th/182 · 2025 | $134.18 bn42nd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $101.16 bn50th/182 · 2025 | $126.02 bn43rd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 15.6%161st/183 · 2025 | 31.4%109th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 14.8%177th/183 · 2025 | 29.5%134th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 30.4%176th/183 · 2025 | 60.9%126th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 9.1%52nd/170 · 2025 | 8.2%58th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 12.6%125th/171 · 2025 | 38.3%80th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 50.1%29th/171 · 2025 | 12.8%101st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.1%163rd/171 · 2025 | 30.4%18th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 3.9%106th/168 · 2024 | 5.7%91st/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -1.1%93rd/191 · 2025 | -0.5%80th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.6%154th/196 · 2025 | -0.5%183rd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 2.7%89th/209 · 2021 | 7.3%58th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 1.54%41st/197 · 2021 | 0.40%57th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.39%41st/197 · 2021 | 0.03%71st/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%65th/195 · 2021 | 2.44%4th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.58%53rd/209 · 2021 | 3.83%28th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.14%103rd/209 · 2021 | 0.63%66th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 17.1%63rd/206 · 2024 | 9.9%105th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 6,43160th/183 · 2022 | 718145th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 7.4 m28th/194 · 2019 | 3.9 m45th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.70 bn57th/175 · 2020 | $2.72 bn43rd/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 2.6%116th/168 · 2020 | 2.9%109th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 15.4 m14th/107 · 2019 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 77.580th/217 · 2024 | 66.3183rd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 9.570th/196 · 2024 | 35.1144th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 5.119th/174 · 2023 | 0.79108th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.451st/145 · 2022 | 2.32010 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 75%157th/193 · 2024 | 74%160th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 56.4%2003 | 85.4%61st/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 105.6%38th/173 · 2023 | 104.1%46th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 56.6%24th/55 · 2022 | 78.4%12th/55 · 2021 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 19.0%77th/217 · 2025 | 10.2%129th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 10.3%26th/193 · 2023 | 8.9%47th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 99.1%14th/98 · 2020 | 91.2%48th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 107.8%9th/150 · 2023 | 23.5%115th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.86547th/193 · 2023 | 0.741106th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 42.493rd/108 · 2024 | 54.1107th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 1.0%50th/108 · 2024 | 17.4%87th/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 98.4%140th/215 · 2024 | 90.2%161st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 68.0%90th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 48.5%2016 | 73.8%60th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 89.7%59th/186 · 2024 | 78.4%105th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 14040th/210 · 2024 | 17911th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 26.172nd/208 · 2024 | 5.3137th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.8063rd/164 · 2022 | 3.6029th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 17,86611th/82 · 2019 | 20,9539th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 21.1 m33rd/161 · 2023 | 15.5 m42nd/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 4.01135th/203 · 2024 | 6.88168th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 9.2%149th/212 · 2021 | 9.7%146th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 14.379th/200 · 2023 | 27.7146th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 17.1%141st/214 · 2024 | 18.8%134th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,73765th/149 · 2024 | 1,90761st/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 58.079th/205 · 2025 | 51.9109th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 40.3125th/207 · 2025 | 45.498th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 56.9102nd/207 · 2025 | 59.396th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 68.4103rd/207 · 2025 | 58.9142nd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 53.9102nd/205 · 2025 | 54.399th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 65.973rd/205 · 2025 | 70.257th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 4.596th/145 · 2023 | 43.7140th/145 · 2022 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $3.88 bn52nd/156 · 2025 | $3.17 bn54th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.6%142nd/156 · 2025 | 0.7%133rd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 1.8%144th/154 · 2025 | 2.2%139th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 103,00053rd/170 · 2020 | 89,00054th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.53%111th/168 · 2020 | 0.40%131st/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 108.0 m47th/163 · 2025 | 30.0 m78th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.0 m2011 | 115.0 m24th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.60%59th/110 · 2023 | 0.61%58th/110 · 2022 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 44548th/137 · 2024 | 35053rd/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 8,58947th/197 · 2023 | 14,94933rd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Argentina or South Africa?
South Africa has the larger population: 64.7 m (2025) compared with 45.9 m for Argentina (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Argentina or South Africa?
Argentina is larger: 2,780,400 km² (2024) compared with 1,219,602 km² for South Africa (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Argentina or South Africa?
Argentina has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.49 trn intl. (2025) compared with $1.03 trn intl. for South Africa (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Argentina or South Africa?
Argentina has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $32,587 intl. (2025) compared with $15,906 intl. for South Africa (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Argentina or South Africa?
Argentina has the higher life expectancy at birth: 77.5 years (2024) compared with 66.3 years for South Africa (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Argentina or South Africa?
Argentina spends more on the military: $3.88 bn (2025) compared with $3.17 bn for South Africa (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Argentina or South Africa?
Argentina: 54.6 points (72nd in the world); South Africa: 41.9 points (122nd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Australia
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
Peru
Angola
Ethiopia
KenyaSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Argentina vs South Africa — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/argentina-vs-south-africa. Data as of 26 October 2026.