Australia vs South Africa
Australia vs South Africa: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 17.4% in Australia and 18.8% in South Africa, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in South Africa, by 1.4 percentage points, or 1.08 times that in Australia.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 2003, when it overtook Australia.
- In 2024, Australia ranked 137 and South Africa ranked 133 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | Australia | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 17.4 | 18.8 | – |
| 2023 | 17.4 | 18.7 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 17.3 | 18.7 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 17.3 | 18.6 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 17.3 | 18.5 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 17.3 | 18.4 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 17.3 | 18.4 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 17.3 | 18.3 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 17.3 | 18.2 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 17.3 | 18.1 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 17.2 | 18.1 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 17.2 | 18 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 17.1 | 17.9 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 17.1 | 17.9 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 17.1 | 17.8 | 32 |
| 2009 | 17.1 | 17.7 | 32 |
| 2008 | 17.1 | 17.6 | 32 |
| 2007 | 17.1 | 17.6 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 17.2 | 17.5 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 17.2 | 17.4 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 17.2 | 17.4 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 17.2 | 17.3 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 17.3 | 17.2 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 17.3 | 17.1 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 17.3 | 17.1 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 17.3 | 17 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 17.3 | 16.9 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 17.4 | 16.8 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 17.4 | 16.8 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 17.4 | 16.7 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 17.4 | 16.6 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 17.5 | 16.6 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 17.5 | 16.5 | 33 |
| 1991 | 17.5 | 16.4 | – |
| 1990 | 17.5 | 16.3 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
- Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 209 countries with a value in 2024, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Australia vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyAustralia: 83.9 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityAustralia: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityAustralia: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionAustralia: 4.62% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateAustralia: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationAustralia: 26.5 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthAustralia: 0.99% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateAustralia: 1.64 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationAustralia: 87.7% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageAustralia: 37.8 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overAustralia: 17.4% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateAustralia: 5.3 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingAustralia: 1.92% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsAustralia: $35.3B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personAustralia: $1,316 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingAustralia: 4.9% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelAustralia: 60,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerAustralia: 0.6% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersAustralia: 0.44% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsAustralia: 826 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsAustralia: 108 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025