Updated
Overview
South Africa has about 85% more people than Peru: 64.75 million against 34.58 million (2025).
South Africa's economy is 28% larger than Peru's, at $427.18B versus $334.85B.
Per person, Peru is the wealthier of the two: $9,684 against $6,598 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Africa | Peru | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $427.18B | $334.85B | 2025 | $400.26B / $289.22B |
| GDP per capita | $6,598 | Higher: $9,684 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.1% | Higher: 3.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.2% | Lower: 1.5% | 2025 | 4.4% / 2.0% |
| Unemployment | 32.4% | Lower: 5.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 51 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $485 | Higher: $563 | 2020 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $261 | Higher: $273 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.49 | $4.99 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 64.75 million | 34.58 million | 2025 | 61.09 million / 32.77 million |
| Population growth | 1.1% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 28.7 yrs | 30.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.19 | 1.94 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 66.3 yrs | Higher: 77.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 64% | 86% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 78% | Higher: 82% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,221,037 km² | 1,285,216 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 53.0/km² | 26.9/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 440 Mt | Lower: 70 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.9 t | Lower: 2.1 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $2.84B | $2.57B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.7% | 0.9% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 89,000 | 158,000 | 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
Peru is growing faster: 3.4% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in South Africa and 1.5% in Peru.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in South Africa: a price level of 41 versus 51 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Peru: $563 against $485 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 28.7 (South Africa) and 30.2 (Peru).
Life expectancy is 11.6 years longer in Peru (77.9 vs 66.3).
Peru is considerably more urbanized: 86% of people live in cities, against 64%.
Geography
By land area, South Africa is almost exactly the same size as Peru: 1,221,037 km² versus 1,285,216 km².
Military
Defence budgets are of similar magnitude: $2.84B (South Africa) and $2.57B (Peru).
Peru fields the larger armed forces: 158,000 personnel against 89,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is South Africa bigger than Peru?
- The two are almost exactly the same size. South Africa covers 1,221,037 km² while Peru covers 1,285,216 km², a difference of under 5%.
- Which has more people, South Africa or Peru?
- South Africa has the larger population: 64.75 million versus 34.58 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Africa richer than Peru?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Peru is richer: $9,684 against $6,598. Total GDP tells a different story: $427.18B for South Africa versus $334.85B for Peru.
- Who spends more on their military, South Africa or Peru?
- South Africa spends more: $2.84B versus $2.57B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).