Updated
Overview
South Africa has 31% more people than Spain: 64.75 million against 49.36 million (2025).
Spain's economy is 4.5 times the size of South Africa's, at $1.91T versus $427.18B.
Per person, Spain is the wealthier of the two: $38,627 against $6,598 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Africa | Spain | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $427.18B | Higher: $1.91T | 2025 | $400.26B / $1.72T |
| GDP per capita | $6,598 | Higher: $38,627 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.1% | Higher: 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.2% | Lower: 2.7% | 2025 | 4.4% / 2.8% |
| Unemployment | 32.4% | Lower: 10.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 65 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $485 | Higher: $3,574 | 2020 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $261 | Higher: $1,561 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.49 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 64.75 million | 49.36 million | 2025 | 61.09 million / 47.28 million |
| Population growth | 1.1% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 28.7 yrs | 45.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.19 | 1.23 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 66.3 yrs | Higher: 83.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 64% | 81% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 78% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,221,037 km² | 505,992 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 53.0/km² | 97.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 440 Mt | Lower: 220 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.9 t | Lower: 4.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $2.84B | $24.62B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.7% | 1.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 89,000 | 199,000 | 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
Spain is growing faster: 2.8% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in South Africa and 2.7% in Spain.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in South Africa: a price level of 41 versus 65 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Spain: $3,574 against $485 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
South Africa is the far younger society: median age 28.7 versus 45.9 years.
Life expectancy is 17.6 years longer in Spain (83.9 vs 66.3).
Spain is considerably more urbanized: 81% of people live in cities, against 64%.
Internet adoption is higher in Spain (96% vs 78% of the population).
Geography
By land area, South Africa is 2.4 times the size of Spain: 1,221,037 km² versus 505,992 km².
Military
Spain spends 8.7 times as much on defence as South Africa: $24.62B versus $2.84B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Spain fields the larger armed forces: 199,000 personnel against 89,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is South Africa bigger than Spain?
- South Africa is larger by land area. South Africa covers 1,221,037 km² while Spain covers 505,992 km², so South Africa is 2.4 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, South Africa or Spain?
- South Africa has the larger population: 64.75 million versus 49.36 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Africa richer than Spain?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Spain is richer: $38,627 against $6,598. Total GDP tells the same story: $427.18B for South Africa versus $1.91T for Spain.
- Who spends more on their military, South Africa or Spain?
- Spain spends more: $24.62B versus $2.84B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).