Italy vs South Africa
Italy vs South Africa: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 31.8% in Italy and 18.8% in South Africa, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Italy, by 13 percentage points, or 1.69 times that in South Africa.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- Italy has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2024, Italy ranked 109 and South Africa ranked 133 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | Italy | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 31.8 | 18.8 | – |
| 2023 | 31.8 | 18.7 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 31.7 | 18.7 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 31.7 | 18.6 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 31.7 | 18.5 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 31.3 | 18.4 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 31 | 18.4 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 30.7 | 18.3 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 30.4 | 18.2 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 30.1 | 18.1 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 30.2 | 18.1 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 30.3 | 18 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 30.4 | 17.9 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 30.5 | 17.9 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 30.5 | 17.8 | 32 |
| 2009 | 30.3 | 17.7 | 32 |
| 2008 | 30.1 | 17.6 | 32 |
| 2007 | 29.9 | 17.6 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 29.6 | 17.5 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 29.4 | 17.4 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 29.2 | 17.4 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 29 | 17.3 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 28.8 | 17.2 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 28.5 | 17.1 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 28.3 | 17.1 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 28.2 | 17 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 27.9 | 16.9 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 27.7 | 16.8 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 27.4 | 16.8 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 27.1 | 16.7 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 26.9 | 16.6 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 26.6 | 16.6 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 26.3 | 16.5 | 33 |
| 1991 | 26.1 | 16.4 | – |
| 1990 | 25.8 | 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
Italy vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyItaly: 83.7 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityItaly: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityItaly: 2.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionItaly: 3.46% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateItaly: 4.8 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationItaly: 59.5 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthItaly: -0.22% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateItaly: 1.2 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationItaly: 69.7% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageItaly: 47.5 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overItaly: 24.2% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateItaly: 2.5 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingItaly: 1.89% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsItaly: $45.4B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personItaly: $813 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingItaly: 3.7% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelItaly: 338,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerItaly: 0.96% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersItaly: 1.35% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsItaly: 566 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsItaly: 1.92 billion TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025