Updated
Overview
Bangladesh has 2.7 times the population of South Africa: 175.69 million people against 64.75 million (2025).
Their economies are close in size: $456.32B for Bangladesh and $427.18B for South Africa.
Per person, South Africa is the wealthier of the two: $6,598 against $2,597 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Bangladesh | South Africa | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $456.32B | $427.18B | 2025 | $450.12B / $400.26B |
| GDP per capita | $2,597 | Higher: $6,598 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.5% | 1.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 8.8% | Lower: 3.2% | 2025 | 10.5% / 4.4% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.8% | 32.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 25 | 41 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $134 | Higher: $485 | 2024 / 2020 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $108 | Higher: $261 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $3.49 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 175.69 million | 64.75 million | 2025 | 174.37 million / 61.09 million |
| Population growth | 1.2% | 1.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 26.0 yrs | 28.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.11 | 2.19 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 74.9 yrs | 66.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 33% | 64% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 53% | Higher: 78% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 147,570 km² | 1,221,037 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 1190.5/km² | 53.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 108 Mt | 440 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.6 t | 6.9 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $4.03B | $2.84B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 0.7% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 227,000 | 89,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Bangladesh is growing faster: 3.5% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Bangladesh runs the hotter price environment: 8.8% inflation versus 3.2%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Bangladesh: a price level of 25 versus 41 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour South Africa: $485 against $134 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Bangladesh is the younger society: median age 26.0 versus 28.7 years.
Life expectancy is 8.6 years longer in Bangladesh (74.9 vs 66.3).
South Africa is considerably more urbanized: 64% of people live in cities, against 33%.
Internet adoption is higher in South Africa (78% vs 53% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Bangladesh is 88% smaller than South Africa: 147,570 km² versus 1,221,037 km².
Bangladesh is far more densely settled: 1191 people per km² against 53.
Military
Bangladesh spends about 40% more on defence than South Africa: $4.03B versus $2.84B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Bangladesh fields the larger armed forces: 227,000 personnel against 89,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Bangladesh bigger than South Africa?
- South Africa is larger by land area. Bangladesh covers 147,570 km² while South Africa covers 1,221,037 km², so South Africa is 8.3 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Bangladesh or South Africa?
- Bangladesh has the larger population: 175.69 million versus 64.75 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Bangladesh richer than South Africa?
- Measured by GDP per capita, South Africa is richer: $6,598 against $2,597. Total GDP tells a different story: $456.32B for Bangladesh versus $427.18B for South Africa.
- Who spends more on their military, Bangladesh or South Africa?
- Bangladesh spends more: $4.03B versus $2.84B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).
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