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Austria vs Czechia
France vs South Africa
Side-by-side comparison of France and South Africa from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
France
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,183 years
South Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 116 years
In short
France scores 74.8 in the NationsTree Index (21st in the world) and South Africa scores 41.9 (122nd), a gap of 32.9 points. Their trees are 44 m and 18 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
France and South Africa have a similar population. South Africa is 2.0 times larger than France by land area. France has an economy 4.3 times the size of South Africa (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: France 68.7 million and South Africa 64.7 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $63,975 in France and $15,906 in South Africa (2025, international dollars). People in France live on average 16.7 years longer (83.0 vs 66.3 years).
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, France ranks higher in the world on 34 and South Africa on 3. France is clearly stronger in society & health, institutions & safety and military. South Africa is clearly stronger in natural resources and main industries.
As a nation, France is the older of the two (statehood since 843, 1,183 years), compared with South Africa (since 1910). Over the last five years France improved faster (direction score 33 vs 7 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between France and South Africa.
Francebetter
100.0%
1st of 215
South Africa
90.2%
161st of 215
Life expectancySociety & health
Francebetter
83.0
24th of 217
South Africa
66.3
183rd of 217
Extreme povertySociety & health
Francebetter
0.1%
10th of 108
South Africa
17.4%
87th of 108
Fixed broadbandInfrastructure & digital
Francebetter
48.9
7th of 208
South Africa
5.3
137th of 208
Homicide rateInstitutions & safety
Francebetter
1.3
54th of 145
South Africa
43.7
140th of 145
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
France has been ahead of South Africa in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1993.
France has been ahead of South Africa in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP), life expectancy and 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
FranceSouth 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 | France | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 606,41045th/216 · 2024 | 1,219,60224th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 538,95048th/216 · 2024 | 1,213,09024th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 68.7 m23rd/217 · 2025 | 64.7 m24th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.25%158th/217 · 2025 | 1.15%93rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 127.288th/216 · 2024 | 52.8151st/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 78.8%65th/217 · 2025 | 63.8%111th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 16.2%162nd/217 · 2025 | 25.7%91st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 22.5%17th/217 · 2025 | 6.9%126th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $3.37 trn7th/210 · 2025 | $427.18 bn40th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $4.40 trn10th/199 · 2025 | $1.03 trn32nd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $3.79 trn9th/199 · 2025 | $880.05 bn32nd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $48,98634th/210 · 2025 | $6,598125th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $63,97534th/199 · 2025 | $15,906120th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $48,63029th/201 · 2025 | $6,270116th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 0.8%179th/210 · 2025 | 1.1%169th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 0.9%34th/180 · 2025 | 3.2%92nd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 7.5%131st/187 · 2025 | 32.4%186th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 82.8%45th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 115.5%178th/189 · 2025 | 78.4%145th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -5.1%150th/192 · 2025 | -5.6%160th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.4%161st/197 · 2025 | 2.8%130th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 16.8%150th/200 · 2025 | 24.1%95th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 9.5%104th/192 · 2025 | 12.3%76th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 70.9%32nd/200 · 2025 | 63.1%67th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $1.12 trn5th/182 · 2025 | $134.18 bn42nd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $1.14 trn5th/182 · 2025 | $126.02 bn43rd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 33.4%99th/183 · 2025 | 31.4%109th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 33.8%117th/183 · 2025 | 29.5%134th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 67.2%116th/183 · 2025 | 60.9%126th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 3.8%80th/170 · 2025 | 8.2%58th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 78.5%23rd/171 · 2025 | 38.3%80th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 13.4%97th/171 · 2025 | 12.8%101st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.3%101st/171 · 2025 | 30.4%18th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 23.1%26th/168 · 2024 | 5.7%91st/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -0.4%79th/191 · 2025 | -0.5%80th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.8%111th/196 · 2025 | -0.5%183rd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%168th/209 · 2021 | 7.3%58th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.01%109th/197 · 2021 | 0.40%57th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%96th/197 · 2021 | 0.03%71st/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 2.44%4th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 3.83%28th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.03%139th/209 · 2021 | 0.63%66th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 31.3%26th/206 · 2024 | 9.9%105th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 2,93386th/183 · 2022 | 718145th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 117.1 m1st/194 · 2020 | 3.9 m45th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $35.96 bn3rd/175 · 2020 | $2.72 bn43rd/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 4.8%87th/168 · 2020 | 2.9%109th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 21.3 m11th/107 · 2020 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 83.024th/217 · 2024 | 66.3183rd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 4.335th/196 · 2024 | 35.1144th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.2854th/174 · 2022 | 0.79108th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 5.718th/145 · 2022 | 2.32010 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 96%48th/193 · 2024 | 74%160th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 91.6%44th/153 · 2023 | 85.4%61st/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 103.8%47th/173 · 2024 | 104.1%46th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | — | 78.4%12th/55 · 2021 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 36.8%12th/217 · 2025 | 10.2%129th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 11.5%13th/193 · 2024 | 8.9%47th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | — | 91.2%48th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 71.5%46th/150 · 2024 | 23.5%115th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.92026th/193 · 2023 | 0.741106th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 31.834th/108 · 2023 | 54.1107th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.1%10th/108 · 2023 | 17.4%87th/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 90.2%161st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 99.7%20th/150 · 2024 | 68.0%90th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 90.0%38th/144 · 2024 | 73.8%60th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 88.7%66th/186 · 2024 | 78.4%105th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 117100th/210 · 2023 | 17911th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 48.97th/208 · 2024 | 5.3137th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.8019th/164 · 2022 | 3.6029th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 27,7167th/82 · 2021 | 20,9539th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 64.6 m18th/161 · 2023 | 15.5 m42nd/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 4.00134th/203 · 2024 | 6.88168th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 16.2%118th/212 · 2021 | 9.7%146th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 8.232nd/200 · 2023 | 27.7146th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 32.9%106th/214 · 2024 | 18.8%134th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 3,18331st/149 · 2024 | 1,90761st/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 77.130th/205 · 2025 | 51.9109th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 73.125th/207 · 2025 | 45.498th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 74.637th/207 · 2025 | 59.396th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 64.0122nd/207 · 2025 | 58.9142nd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 72.535th/205 · 2025 | 54.399th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 79.026th/205 · 2025 | 70.257th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.354th/145 · 2023 | 43.7140th/145 · 2022 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $68.01 bn9th/156 · 2025 | $3.17 bn54th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 2.0%62nd/156 · 2025 | 0.7%133rd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.5%121st/154 · 2025 | 2.2%139th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 304,00023rd/170 · 2020 | 89,00054th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.00%68th/168 · 2020 | 0.40%131st/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 236.0 m35th/163 · 2025 | 30.0 m78th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 3.4 bn2nd/65 · 2025 | 115.0 m24th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 2.18%17th/110 · 2023 | 0.61%58th/110 · 2022 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 12,7518th/137 · 2024 | 35053rd/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 62,18011th/197 · 2023 | 14,94933rd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, France or South Africa?
France has the larger population: 68.7 m (2025) compared with 64.7 m for South Africa (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, France or South Africa?
South Africa is larger: 1,219,602 km² (2024) compared with 606,410 km² for France (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, France or South Africa?
France has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $4.40 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, France or South Africa?
France has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $63,975 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 France or South Africa?
France has the higher life expectancy at birth: 83.0 years (2024) compared with 66.3 years for South Africa (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, France or South Africa?
France spends more on the military: $68.01 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, France or South Africa?
France: 74.8 points (21st 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.
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
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). France vs South Africa — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/france-vs-south-africa. Data as of 26 October 2026.