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South Africa vs Türkiye
Side-by-side comparison of South Africa and Türkiye from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
South Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 116 years
Türkiye
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 727 years
In short
Türkiye scores 64.7 in the NationsTree Index (47th in the world) and South Africa scores 41.9 (122nd), a gap of 22.8 points. Their trees are 18 m and 39 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Türkiye has 33% more people than South Africa. South Africa has 55% more land area than Türkiye. Türkiye has an economy 3.8 times the size of South Africa (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: South Africa 64.7 million and Türkiye 85.9 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $45,288 in Türkiye and $15,906 in South Africa (2025, international dollars). People in Türkiye live on average 11.1 years longer (77.4 vs 66.3 years).
Of 39 indicators reported by both countries, South Africa ranks higher in the world on 10 and Türkiye on 29. South Africa is clearly stronger in institutions & safety and natural resources. Türkiye is clearly stronger in military, economy and science & innovation.
As a nation, Türkiye is the older of the two (statehood since 1299, 727 years), compared with South Africa (since 1910). Over the last five years Türkiye improved faster (direction score 71 vs 7 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between South Africa and Türkiye.
South Africa
74%
160th of 193
Türkiyebetter
99%
1st of 193
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
South Africa
90.2%
161st of 215
Türkiyebetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Tertiary enrolmentSociety & health
South Africa
23.5%
115th of 150
Türkiyebetter
105.9%
10th of 150
Central government debtEconomy
South Africa
82.8%
45th of 55
Türkiyebetter
25.5%
8th of 55
General government gross debtEconomy
South Africa
78.4%
145th of 189
Türkiyebetter
23.7%
21st of 189
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Türkiye overtook South Africa in the NationsTree Index in 1997 and has stayed ahead since.
Türkiye 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
South AfricaTürkiye 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 | South Africa | Türkiye |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 1,219,60224th/216 · 2024 | 785,35036th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 1,213,09024th/216 · 2024 | 769,63036th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 64.7 m24th/217 · 2025 | 85.9 m18th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.15%93rd/217 · 2025 | 0.42%147th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 52.8151st/216 · 2024 | 111.197th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 63.8%111th/217 · 2025 | 89.5%32nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 25.7%91st/217 · 2025 | 21.0%116th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 6.9%126th/217 · 2025 | 10.6%94th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $427.18 bn40th/210 · 2025 | $1.60 trn16th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.03 trn32nd/199 · 2025 | $3.89 trn11th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $880.05 bn32nd/199 · 2025 | $3.20 trn11th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $6,598125th/210 · 2025 | $18,59981st/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $15,906120th/199 · 2025 | $45,28858th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $6,270116th/201 · 2025 | $16,30075th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.1%169th/210 · 2025 | 3.6%94th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 3.2%92nd/180 · 2025 | 34.9%175th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 32.4%186th/187 · 2025 | 8.5%138th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 82.8%45th/55 · 2024 | 25.5%8th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 78.4%145th/189 · 2025 | 23.7%21st/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -5.6%160th/192 · 2025 | -2.8%99th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 2.8%130th/197 · 2025 | 5.2%105th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 24.1%95th/200 · 2025 | 24.0%96th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 12.3%76th/192 · 2025 | 16.8%35th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 63.1%67th/200 · 2025 | 59.4%91st/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $134.18 bn42nd/182 · 2025 | $396.92 bn26th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $126.02 bn43rd/182 · 2025 | $400.68 bn23rd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 31.4%109th/183 · 2025 | 24.8%125th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 29.5%134th/183 · 2025 | 25.1%152nd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 60.9%126th/183 · 2025 | 49.9%144th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 8.2%58th/170 · 2025 | 5.4%72nd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 38.3%80th/171 · 2025 | 74.5%32nd/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 12.8%101st/171 · 2025 | 11.8%108th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 30.4%18th/171 · 2025 | 4.6%66th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 5.7%91st/168 · 2024 | 5.1%100th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -0.5%80th/191 · 2025 | -1.9%99th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | -0.5%183rd/196 · 2025 | 0.8%152nd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 7.3%58th/209 · 2021 | 0.8%121st/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.40%57th/197 · 2021 | 0.14%73rd/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.03%71st/197 · 2021 | 0.01%85th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 2.44%4th/195 · 2021 | 0.05%35th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 3.83%28th/209 · 2021 | 0.63%51st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.63%66th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 9.9%105th/206 · 2024 | 26.3%37th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 718145th/183 · 2022 | 2,67188th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 3.9 m45th/194 · 2020 | 16.0 m15th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $2.72 bn43rd/175 · 2020 | $13.77 bn12th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 2.9%109th/168 · 2020 | 6.6%76th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | — | 2.2 m48th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 66.3183rd/217 · 2024 | 77.483rd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 35.1144th/196 · 2024 | 9.672nd/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.79108th/174 · 2022 | 2.2479th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.32010 | 3.157th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 74%160th/193 · 2024 | 99%1st/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 85.4%61st/153 · 2024 | 54.3%107th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 104.1%46th/173 · 2023 | 118.4%20th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 78.4%12th/55 · 2021 | 49.3%31st/55 · 2019 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 10.2%129th/217 · 2025 | 15.5%95th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 8.9%47th/193 · 2023 | 4.3%148th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 91.2%48th/98 · 2024 | 97.3%26th/98 · 2021 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 23.5%115th/150 · 2023 | 105.9%10th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.741106th/193 · 2023 | 0.85351st/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 54.1107th/108 · 2022 | 43.797th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 17.4%87th/108 · 2022 | 0.2%18th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 90.2%161st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 68.0%90th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 73.8%60th/144 · 2024 | 78.9%52nd/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 78.4%105th/186 · 2024 | 89.8%58th/186 · 2025 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 17911th/210 · 2024 | 108128th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 5.3137th/208 · 2024 | 23.481st/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.6029th/164 · 2022 | 3.4042nd/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 20,9539th/82 · 2021 | 10,54617th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 15.5 m42nd/161 · 2023 | 125.9 m5th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 6.88168th/203 · 2024 | 5.38156th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 9.7%146th/212 · 2021 | 12.0%135th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 27.7146th/200 · 2023 | 26.4142nd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 18.8%134th/214 · 2024 | 29.5%113th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,90761st/149 · 2024 | 1,93659th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 51.9109th/205 · 2025 | 52.9106th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 45.498th/207 · 2025 | 37.4135th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 59.396th/207 · 2025 | 45.2153rd/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 58.9142nd/207 · 2025 | 50.2175th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 54.399th/205 · 2025 | 52.5110th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 70.257th/205 · 2025 | 37.3159th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 43.7140th/145 · 2022 | 3.284th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $3.17 bn54th/156 · 2025 | $29.99 bn18th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.7%133rd/156 · 2025 | 1.9%69th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 2.2%139th/154 · 2025 | 5.9%63rd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 89,00054th/170 · 2020 | 512,00013th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.40%131st/168 · 2020 | 1.61%38th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 30.0 m78th/163 · 2025 | 381.0 m31st/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 115.0 m24th/65 · 2025 | 539.0 m11th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.61%58th/110 · 2022 | 1.42%32nd/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 35053rd/137 · 2024 | 10,00410th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 14,94933rd/197 · 2023 | 50,18016th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, South Africa or Türkiye?
Türkiye has the larger population: 85.9 m (2025) compared with 64.7 m for South Africa (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, South Africa or Türkiye?
South Africa is larger: 1,219,602 km² (2024) compared with 785,350 km² for Türkiye (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, South Africa or Türkiye?
Türkiye has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $3.89 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, South Africa or Türkiye?
Türkiye has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $45,288 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 South Africa or Türkiye?
Türkiye has the higher life expectancy at birth: 77.4 years (2024) compared with 66.3 years for South Africa (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, South Africa or Türkiye?
Türkiye spends more on the military: $29.99 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, South Africa or Türkiye?
Türkiye: 64.7 points (47th 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.
Angola
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Ethiopia
Indonesia
Italy
Kenya
MexicoSources
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). South Africa vs Türkiye — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/south-africa-vs-turkiye. Data as of 26 October 2026.