Belgium vs South Africa
Belgium vs South Africa: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 22% in Belgium and 18.8% in South Africa, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Belgium, by 3.2 percentage points, or 1.17 times that in South Africa.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- Belgium has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2000.
- In 2024, Belgium ranked 127 and South Africa ranked 133 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | Belgium | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 | 18.8 | – |
| 2023 | 22 | 18.7 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 22 | 18.7 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 22 | 18.6 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 22 | 18.5 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 22.1 | 18.4 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 22.2 | 18.4 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 22.5 | 18.3 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 22.6 | 18.2 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 22.7 | 18.1 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 22.7 | 18.1 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 22.7 | 18 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 22.7 | 17.9 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 22.7 | 17.9 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 22.7 | 17.8 | 32 |
| 2009 | 22.7 | 17.7 | 32 |
| 2008 | 22.6 | 17.6 | 32 |
| 2007 | 22.5 | 17.6 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 22.5 | 17.5 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 22.4 | 17.4 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 22.3 | 17.4 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 22.2 | 17.3 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 22.2 | 17.2 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 22.1 | 17.1 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 22 | 17.1 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | – | 17 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | – | 16.9 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | – | 16.8 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | – | 16.8 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | – | 16.7 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | – | 16.6 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | – | 16.6 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | – | 16.5 | 33 |
| 1991 | – | 16.4 | – |
| 1990 | – | 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
Belgium vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyBelgium: 82.1 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBelgium: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBelgium: 3.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionBelgium: 4.11% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateBelgium: 14.3 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBelgium: 11.7 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthBelgium: 0.25% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBelgium: 1.38 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBelgium: 87.7% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageBelgium: 41.4 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBelgium: 20.2% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateBelgium: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBelgium: 2.01% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBelgium: $13.6B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personBelgium: $1,237 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBelgium: 3.7% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBelgium: 24,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerBelgium: 0.22% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBelgium: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBelgium: 430 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBelgium: 86 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025