Saudi Arabia vs South Africa
Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Internet users
Internet users in 2024: 100% in Saudi Arabia and 78.4% in South Africa, by ITU estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 21.6 percentage points, or 1.28 times that in South Africa.
% of people · ITU
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher since 2003, when it overtook South Africa.
- The world as a whole: 71.2% in 2024.
Every year
% of people · ITU
| Year | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | – | – | 73.6 |
| 2024 | 100 | 78.4 | 71.2 |
| 2023 | 100 | 78.3 | 69.2 |
| 2022 | 100 | 78.3 | 67 |
| 2021 | 100 | 75 | 63.8 |
| 2020 | 97.9 | 72.1 | 60.1 |
| 2019 | 95.7 | 69.7 | 53.9 |
| 2018 | 93.3 | 62.4 | 49.4 |
| 2017 | 94.2 | 56.2 | 46.3 |
| 2016 | 74.9 | 54 | 43.6 |
| 2015 | 69.6 | 51.9 | 39.9 |
| 2014 | 64.7 | 49 | 37.4 |
| 2013 | 60.5 | 46.5 | 35.3 |
| 2012 | 54 | 41 | 33.3 |
| 2011 | 47.5 | 34 | 30.9 |
| 2010 | 41 | 24 | 28.4 |
| 2009 | 38 | 10 | 25.3 |
| 2008 | 36 | 8.4 | 22.8 |
| 2007 | 30 | 8.1 | 20.2 |
| 2006 | 19.5 | 7.6 | 17.2 |
| 2005 | 12.7 | 7.5 | 15.6 |
| 2004 | 10.2 | 8.4 | – |
| 2003 | 8 | 7 | – |
| 2002 | 6.4 | 6.7 | – |
| 2001 | 4.7 | 6.3 | – |
| 2000 | 2.2 | 5.3 | – |
| 1999 | 0.5 | 4.1 | – |
| 1998 | 0.1 | 2.9 | – |
| 1997 | 0.1 | 1.6 | – |
| 1996 | 0 | 0.8 | – |
| 1995 | 0 | 0.7 | – |
| 1994 | – | 0.2 | – |
| 1993 | – | 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
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