Updated
Overview
Turkey (Türkiye) has 33% more people than South Africa: 85.88 million against 64.75 million (2025).
Turkey (Türkiye)'s economy is 3.7 times the size of South Africa's, at $1.60T versus $427.18B.
Per person, Turkey (Türkiye) is the wealthier of the two: $18,599 against $6,598 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Turkey (Türkiye) | South Africa | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.60T | $427.18B | 2025 | $1.32T / $400.26B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $18,599 | $6,598 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.6% | 1.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 34.9% | Lower: 3.2% | 2025 | 58.5% / 4.4% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 8.5% | 32.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 41 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $1,001 | $485 | 2025 / 2020 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $659 | $261 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $6.91 | $3.49 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 85.88 million | 64.75 million | 2025 | 84.63 million / 61.09 million |
| Population growth | 0.4% | 1.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 33.5 yrs | 28.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.62 | 2.19 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 77.4 yrs | 66.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 64% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 90% | 78% | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 783,562 km² | 1,221,037 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 109.6/km² | 53.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 513 Mt | Lower: 440 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 5.9 t | 6.9 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.98B | $2.84B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 0.7% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 512,000 | 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
Turkey (Türkiye) is growing faster: 3.6% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Inflation is a serious concern in Turkey (Türkiye) at 34.9%, while the other economy sits at 3.2%.
Average monthly earnings favour Turkey (Türkiye): $1,001 against $485 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
South Africa is the younger society: median age 28.7 versus 33.5 years.
Life expectancy is 11.1 years longer in Turkey (Türkiye) (77.4 vs 66.3).
Turkey (Türkiye) is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 64%.
Internet adoption is higher in Turkey (Türkiye) (90% vs 78% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Turkey (Türkiye) is 36% smaller than South Africa: 783,562 km² versus 1,221,037 km².
Turkey (Türkiye) is far more densely settled: 110 people per km² against 53.
Military
Turkey (Türkiye) spends 8.8 times as much on defence as South Africa: $24.98B versus $2.84B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Turkey (Türkiye) carries the heavier military burden: 1.9% of GDP versus 0.7%.
Turkey (Türkiye) fields the larger armed forces: 512,000 personnel against 89,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Turkey (Türkiye) bigger than South Africa?
- South Africa is larger by land area. Turkey (Türkiye) covers 783,562 km² while South Africa covers 1,221,037 km², so South Africa is 56% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Turkey (Türkiye) or South Africa?
- Turkey (Türkiye) has the larger population: 85.88 million versus 64.75 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Turkey (Türkiye) richer than South Africa?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Turkey (Türkiye) is richer: $18,599 against $6,598. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.60T for Turkey (Türkiye) versus $427.18B for South Africa.
- Who spends more on their military, Turkey (Türkiye) or South Africa?
- Turkey (Türkiye) spends more: $24.98B versus $2.84B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).
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