Updated
Overview
South Africa has 2.8 times the population of Taiwan: 64.75 million people against 23.30 million (2025).
Taiwan's economy is 2.2 times the size of South Africa's, at $920.05B versus $427.18B.
Per person, Taiwan is the wealthier of the two: $39,489 against $6,598 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Africa | Taiwan | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $427.18B | Higher: $920.05B | 2025 | $400.26B / $611.39B |
| GDP per capita | $6,598 | Higher: $39,489 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.1% | Higher: 8.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.2% | Lower: 1.7% | 2025 | 4.4% / 2.2% |
| Unemployment | 32.4% | Lower: 3.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $485 | — | 2020 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $261 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.49 | $2.42 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 64.75 million | 23.30 million | 2025 | 61.09 million / 23.60 million |
| Population growth | 1.1% | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 28.7 yrs | 44.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.19 | 0.86 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 66.3 yrs | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 64% | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 78% | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,221,037 km² | 36,193 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 53.0/km² | 643.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 440 Mt | Lower: 262 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 6.9 t | 11.3 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
Taiwan is growing much faster: 8.7% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in South Africa and 1.7% in Taiwan.
People and society
South Africa is the far younger society: median age 28.7 versus 44.8 years.
Geography
By land area, South Africa is 34 times the size of Taiwan: 1,221,037 km² versus 36,193 km².
Taiwan is far more densely settled: 644 people per km² against 53.
Frequently asked
- Is South Africa bigger than Taiwan?
- South Africa is larger by land area. South Africa covers 1,221,037 km² while Taiwan covers 36,193 km², so South Africa is 34 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, South Africa or Taiwan?
- South Africa has the larger population: 64.75 million versus 23.30 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Africa richer than Taiwan?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Taiwan is richer: $39,489 against $6,598. Total GDP tells the same story: $427.18B for South Africa versus $920.05B for Taiwan.