Updated
Overview
South Africa has 8.6 times the population of Hong Kong: 64.75 million people against 7.50 million (2025).
Their economies are close in size: $427.18B for South Africa and $427.31B for Hong Kong.
Per person, Hong Kong is the wealthier of the two: $56,983 against $6,598 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Africa | Hong Kong | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $427.18B | Higher: $427.31B | 2025 | $400.26B / $407.11B |
| GDP per capita | $6,598 | Higher: $56,983 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.1% | Higher: 3.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.2% | Lower: 1.4% | 2025 | 4.4% / 1.7% |
| Unemployment | 32.4% | Lower: 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 71 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $485 | — | 2020 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $261 | Higher: $888 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.49 | $3.25 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 64.75 million | 7.50 million | 2025 | 61.09 million / 7.31 million |
| Population growth | 1.1% | -0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 28.7 yrs | 47.4 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.19 | 0.73 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 66.3 yrs | Higher: 85.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 64% | 100% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 78% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,221,037 km² | 1,104 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 53.0/km² | 6792.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 440 Mt | Lower: 33 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.9 t | Lower: 4.5 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $2.84B | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.7% | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 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
Hong Kong is growing faster: 3.5% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in South Africa and 1.4% in Hong Kong.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in South Africa: a price level of 41 versus 71 on a US=100 scale.
People and society
South Africa is the far younger society: median age 28.7 versus 47.4 years.
Life expectancy is 19.1 years longer in Hong Kong (85.4 vs 66.3).
Hong Kong is considerably more urbanized: 100% of people live in cities, against 64%.
Internet adoption is higher in Hong Kong (96% vs 78% of the population).
Geography
By land area, South Africa is 1,106 times the size of Hong Kong: 1,221,037 km² versus 1,104 km².
Hong Kong is far more densely settled: 6792 people per km² against 53.
Frequently asked
- Is South Africa bigger than Hong Kong?
- South Africa is larger by land area. South Africa covers 1,221,037 km² while Hong Kong covers 1,104 km², so South Africa is 1,106 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, South Africa or Hong Kong?
- South Africa has the larger population: 64.75 million versus 7.50 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Africa richer than Hong Kong?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Hong Kong is richer: $56,983 against $6,598. Total GDP tells the same story: $427.18B for South Africa versus $427.31B for Hong Kong.