China vs South Africa
China vs South Africa: Internet users
Internet users: 91.6% in China in 2025 and 78.4% in South Africa in 2024, by ITU estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in China, by 13.6 percentage points, or 1.17 times that in South Africa.
% of people · ITU
What the numbers say
- China has been higher since 2023, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2024, China ranked 46 and South Africa ranked 102 of 182 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 71.2% in 2024.
Every year
% of people · ITU
| Year | China | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 91.6 | – | 73.6 |
| 2024 | 92 | 78.4 | 71.2 |
| 2023 | 90.6 | 78.3 | 69.2 |
| 2022 | 75.6 | 78.3 | 67 |
| 2021 | 73.1 | 75 | 63.8 |
| 2020 | 70.1 | 72.1 | 60.1 |
| 2019 | 64.1 | 69.7 | 53.9 |
| 2018 | 65.4 | 62.4 | 49.4 |
| 2017 | 54.3 | 56.2 | 46.3 |
| 2016 | 53.2 | 54 | 43.6 |
| 2015 | 50.3 | 51.9 | 39.9 |
| 2014 | 47.9 | 49 | 37.4 |
| 2013 | 45.8 | 46.5 | 35.3 |
| 2012 | 42.3 | 41 | 33.3 |
| 2011 | 38.3 | 34 | 30.9 |
| 2010 | 34.3 | 24 | 28.4 |
| 2009 | 28.9 | 10 | 25.3 |
| 2008 | 22.6 | 8.4 | 22.8 |
| 2007 | 16 | 8.1 | 20.2 |
| 2006 | 10.5 | 7.6 | 17.2 |
| 2005 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 15.6 |
| 2004 | 7.3 | 8.4 | – |
| 2003 | 6.2 | 7 | – |
| 2002 | 4.6 | 6.7 | – |
| 2001 | 2.6 | 6.3 | – |
| 2000 | 1.8 | 5.3 | – |
| 1999 | 0.7 | 4.1 | – |
| 1998 | 0.2 | 2.9 | – |
| 1997 | 0 | 1.6 | – |
| 1996 | 0 | 0.8 | – |
| 1995 | 0 | 0.7 | – |
| 1994 | 0 | 0.2 | – |
| 1993 | 0 | 0.1 | – |
| 1992 | – | 0 | – |
| 1991 | – | 0 | – |
| 1990 | 0 | 0 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people who used the internet in the last three months, from anywhere.
- Source: ITU, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 182 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
China vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025