Updated
Overview
South Africa has 11 times the population of Denmark: 64.75 million people against 6.01 million (2025).
Their economies are close in size: $427.18B for South Africa and $462.53B for Denmark.
Per person, Denmark is the wealthier of the two: $76,970 against $6,598 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Africa | Denmark | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $427.18B | Higher: $462.53B | 2025 | $400.26B / $429.46B |
| GDP per capita | $6,598 | Higher: $76,970 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.1% | Higher: 2.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.2% | Lower: 1.9% | 2025 | 4.4% / 1.4% |
| Unemployment | 32.4% | Lower: 5.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 92 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $485 | Higher: $6,992 | 2020 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $261 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.49 | $7.04 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 64.75 million | 6.01 million | 2025 | 61.09 million / 6.05 million |
| Population growth | 1.1% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 28.7 yrs | 41.3 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.19 | 1.52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 66.3 yrs | Higher: 82.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 64% | 89% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 78% | Higher: 100% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,221,037 km² | 43,094 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 53.0/km² | 139.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 440 Mt | Lower: 28 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.9 t | Lower: 4.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $2.84B | $9.96B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.7% | 2.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 89,000 | 15,000 | 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
Denmark is growing faster: 2.9% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in South Africa and 1.9% in Denmark.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in South Africa: a price level of 41 versus 92 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Denmark: $6,992 against $485 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
South Africa is the far younger society: median age 28.7 versus 41.3 years.
Life expectancy is 15.9 years longer in Denmark (82.3 vs 66.3).
Denmark is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 64%.
Internet adoption is higher in Denmark (100% vs 78% of the population).
Geography
By land area, South Africa is 28 times the size of Denmark: 1,221,037 km² versus 43,094 km².
Denmark is far more densely settled: 139 people per km² against 53.
Military
Denmark spends 3.5 times as much on defence as South Africa: $9.96B versus $2.84B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Denmark carries the heavier military burden: 2.4% of GDP versus 0.7%.
South Africa fields the larger armed forces: 89,000 personnel against 15,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is South Africa bigger than Denmark?
- South Africa is larger by land area. South Africa covers 1,221,037 km² while Denmark covers 43,094 km², so South Africa is 28 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, South Africa or Denmark?
- South Africa has the larger population: 64.75 million versus 6.01 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Africa richer than Denmark?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Denmark is richer: $76,970 against $6,598. Total GDP tells the same story: $427.18B for South Africa versus $462.53B for Denmark.
- Who spends more on their military, South Africa or Denmark?
- Denmark spends more: $9.96B versus $2.84B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).