Saudi Arabia vs South Africa
Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Girls in primary school
Girls in primary school: 94.4% in Saudi Arabia in 2018 and 86.7% in South Africa in 2017, by Our World in Data estimates. In 2017 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 8.6 percentage points, or 1.1 times that in South Africa.
% of girls of primary-school age · Our World in Data
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2017.
- The world as a whole: 88.2% in 2017.
Every year
% of girls of primary-school age · Our World in Data
| Year | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 94.4 | – | 88.2 |
| 2017 | 95.3 | 86.7 | 88.2 |
| 2016 | 95.6 | – | 88.3 |
| 2015 | – | – | 88.2 |
| 2014 | – | – | 88.3 |
| 2013 | – | – | 88.2 |
| 2012 | – | – | 88.2 |
| 2011 | 97.1 | – | 88.1 |
| 2010 | 96.9 | – | 87.9 |
| 2009 | 90.6 | – | 87.9 |
| 2008 | – | – | 87.6 |
| 2007 | – | – | 87.2 |
| 2006 | – | – | 86 |
| 2005 | – | 88.9 | 85.4 |
| 2004 | – | 89.3 | 84.7 |
| 2003 | – | 89.7 | 83.5 |
| 2002 | – | 88.3 | 81.4 |
| 2001 | – | 87.6 | 81 |
| 2000 | – | 86.3 | 80.7 |
| 1999 | – | 88 | 79.9 |
| 1998 | – | 86.7 | 78.9 |
| 1997 | – | – | 78.1 |
| 1996 | – | – | 77.9 |
| 1995 | – | 90.9 | 78 |
| 1994 | – | 90.2 | 78.3 |
| 1993 | – | – | 78 |
| 1992 | – | – | 77.7 |
| 1991 | – | 89 | 77.8 |
| 1990 | – | – | 77.3 |
| 1989 | – | – | 77.6 |
| 1988 | – | – | 76.6 |
| 1987 | – | – | 75.8 |
| 1986 | – | – | 75.3 |
| 1985 | – | – | 74 |
| 1980 | – | 88 | 75.8 |
| 1975 | – | 88 | 72.9 |
| 1970 | – | 88 | 69 |
| 1965 | – | 78.2 | 66 |
| 1960 | – | 75.6 | 63.1 |
| 1955 | – | 68.4 | 57.4 |
| 1950 | – | 61.3 | 51.4 |
| 1945 | – | 54.2 | 43.5 |
| 1940 | – | 47.1 | 40 |
| 1935 | – | 39.9 | 38.2 |
| 1930 | – | 32.8 | 36.4 |
| 1925 | – | 25.7 | 33 |
| 1920 | – | 18.6 | 30.5 |
| 1915 | – | 11.4 | 29.2 |
| 1910 | – | 4.3 | 28.1 |
| 1905 | – | 1.7 | 25.1 |
| 1900 | – | 1.5 | 23.3 |
| 1895 | – | 1.3 | 21.8 |
| 1890 | – | 1 | 20 |
| 1885 | – | 0.8 | 19 |
| 1880 | – | 0.6 | 17.2 |
| 1875 | – | 0.4 | 15.7 |
| 1870 | – | 0.3 | 13.2 |
| 1865 | – | 0.3 | 10.6 |
| 1860 | – | 0.2 | 9.3 |
| 1855 | – | 0.1 | 8 |
| 1850 | – | 0.1 | 6.8 |
| 1845 | – | 0.1 | 5.9 |
| 1840 | – | 0.1 | 5.2 |
| 1835 | – | 0.1 | 4.5 |
| 1830 | – | 0 | 4 |
| 1825 | – | 0 | 3.5 |
| 1820 | – | 0 | 3.1 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of girls of primary-school age who are enrolled in school.
- Source: Our World in Data, joining historical estimates to the World Bank’s.
- 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
Saudi Arabia vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancySaudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySaudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySaudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSaudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateSaudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSaudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthSaudi Arabia: 2.39% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSaudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSaudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageSaudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSaudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateSaudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSaudi Arabia: $25,070 in 2025South Africa: $5,713 in 2025
- GDP growthSaudi Arabia: 4.6% a year in 2025South Africa: 1.1% a year in 2025
- InflationSaudi Arabia: 2% a year in 2025South Africa: 3.2% a year in 2025
- Government debtSaudi Arabia: 31.8% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 76% of GDP in 2024
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSaudi Arabia: 6.48% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSaudi Arabia: $81.5B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personSaudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSaudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSaudi Arabia: 282,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerSaudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSaudi Arabia: 1.92% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSaudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSaudi Arabia: 3 million TIV in 2023South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025