Updated
Overview
South Africa has 21% more people than Colombia: 64.75 million against 53.43 million (2025).
Their economies are close in size: $427.18B for South Africa and $457.41B for Colombia.
Per person, Colombia is the wealthier of the two: $8,562 against $6,598 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Africa | Colombia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $427.18B | Higher: $457.41B | 2025 | $400.26B / $418.54B |
| GDP per capita | $6,598 | Higher: $8,562 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.1% | Higher: 2.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.2% | 5.1% | 2025 | 4.4% / 6.6% |
| Unemployment | 32.4% | Lower: 8.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 38 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $485 | Higher: $499 | 2020 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $261 | Higher: $319 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.49 | $8.00 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 64.75 million | 53.43 million | 2025 | 61.09 million / 49.84 million |
| Population growth | 1.1% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 28.7 yrs | 32.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.19 | 1.62 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 66.3 yrs | Higher: 77.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 64% | 79% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 78% | Higher: 79% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,221,037 km² | 1,141,748 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 53.0/km² | 46.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 440 Mt | Lower: 93 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.9 t | Lower: 1.8 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $2.84B | $15.10B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.7% | 3.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 89,000 | 428,000 | 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
Colombia is growing faster: 2.6% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in South Africa and 5.1% in Colombia.
Average monthly earnings favour Colombia: $499 against $485 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
South Africa is the younger society: median age 28.7 versus 32.5 years.
Life expectancy is 11.6 years longer in Colombia (77.9 vs 66.3).
Colombia is considerably more urbanized: 79% of people live in cities, against 64%.
Geography
By land area, South Africa is almost exactly the same size as Colombia: 1,221,037 km² versus 1,141,748 km².
Military
Colombia spends 5.3 times as much on defence as South Africa: $15.10B versus $2.84B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Colombia carries the heavier military burden: 3.4% of GDP versus 0.7%.
Colombia fields the larger armed forces: 428,000 personnel against 89,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is South Africa bigger than Colombia?
- The two are almost exactly the same size. South Africa covers 1,221,037 km² while Colombia covers 1,141,748 km², a difference of under 7%.
- Which has more people, South Africa or Colombia?
- South Africa has the larger population: 64.75 million versus 53.43 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Africa richer than Colombia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Colombia is richer: $8,562 against $6,598. Total GDP tells the same story: $427.18B for South Africa versus $457.41B for Colombia.
- Who spends more on their military, South Africa or Colombia?
- Colombia spends more: $15.10B versus $2.84B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).