South Africa vs South Korea
South Africa vs South Korea: GDP per person
GDP per person in 2025: $5,713 in South Africa and $37,470 in South Korea, by World Bank estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Korea, by $31,757, or 6.56 times that in South Africa.
US dollars at 2015 prices · World Bank
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 1983, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, South Africa ranked 101 and South Korea ranked 27 of 186 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: $12,130 in 2025.
Every year
US dollars at 2015 prices · World Bank
| Year | South Africa | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,713 | $37,470 | $12,130 |
| 2024 | $5,715 | $37,050 | $11,890 |
| 2023 | $5,757 | $36,350 | $11,670 |
| 2022 | $5,787 | $35,810 | $11,450 |
| 2021 | $5,751 | $34,790 | $11,170 |
| 2020 | $5,570 | $33,220 | $10,580 |
| 2019 | $6,033 | $33,500 | $11,000 |
| 2018 | $6,117 | $32,850 | $10,820 |
| 2017 | $6,126 | $31,980 | $10,590 |
| 2016 | $6,095 | $31,010 | $10,360 |
| 2015 | $6,112 | $30,170 | $10,190 |
| 2014 | $6,155 | $29,470 | $10,000 |
| 2013 | $6,171 | $28,730 | $9,811 |
| 2012 | $6,122 | $27,940 | $9,654 |
| 2011 | $6,067 | $27,390 | $9,515 |
| 2010 | $5,954 | $26,620 | $9,322 |
| 2009 | $5,847 | $25,010 | $9,028 |
| 2008 | $6,010 | $24,930 | $9,266 |
| 2007 | $5,891 | $24,390 | $9,191 |
| 2006 | $5,651 | $23,160 | $8,913 |
| 2005 | $5,406 | $22,120 | $8,639 |
| 2004 | $5,187 | $21,240 | $8,409 |
| 2003 | $5,012 | $20,280 | $8,151 |
| 2002 | $4,917 | $19,780 | $8,011 |
| 2001 | $4,786 | $18,460 | $7,932 |
| 2000 | $4,701 | $17,760 | $7,880 |
| 1999 | $4,553 | $16,400 | $7,639 |
| 1998 | $4,495 | $14,800 | $7,479 |
| 1997 | $4,527 | $15,680 | $7,382 |
| 1996 | $4,466 | $14,890 | $7,203 |
| 1995 | $4,337 | $13,920 | $7,058 |
| 1994 | $4,258 | $12,820 | $6,944 |
| 1993 | $4,194 | $11,840 | $6,819 |
| 1992 | $4,226 | $11,180 | $6,801 |
| 1991 | $4,396 | $10,620 | $6,773 |
| 1990 | $4,544 | $9,673 | $6,804 |
| 1989 | $4,687 | $8,878 | $6,741 |
| 1988 | $4,714 | $8,367 | $6,620 |
| 1987 | $4,664 | $7,535 | $6,446 |
| 1986 | $4,713 | $6,741 | $6,326 |
| 1985 | $4,865 | $6,106 | $6,233 |
| 1984 | $5,092 | $5,713 | $6,120 |
| 1983 | $5,015 | $5,228 | $5,947 |
| 1982 | $5,291 | $4,676 | $5,903 |
| 1981 | $5,499 | $4,378 | $5,986 |
| 1980 | $5,400 | $4,140 | $5,980 |
| 1979 | $5,221 | $4,270 | $5,978 |
| 1978 | $5,168 | $3,987 | $5,843 |
| 1977 | $5,156 | $3,645 | $5,710 |
| 1976 | $5,302 | $3,294 | $5,591 |
| 1975 | $5,328 | $2,955 | $5,410 |
| 1974 | $5,386 | $2,784 | $5,467 |
| 1973 | $5,221 | $2,583 | $5,465 |
| 1972 | $5,137 | $2,287 | $5,236 |
| 1971 | $5,201 | $2,171 | $5,061 |
| 1970 | $5,136 | $2,001 | $4,964 |
| 1969 | $5,030 | $1,856 | $4,885 |
| 1968 | $4,954 | $1,657 | $4,707 |
| 1967 | $4,907 | $1,498 | $4,535 |
| 1966 | $4,722 | $1,405 | $4,461 |
| 1965 | $4,664 | $1,286 | $4,321 |
| 1964 | $4,532 | $1,229 | $4,176 |
| 1963 | $4,329 | $1,153 | $3,999 |
| 1962 | $4,156 | $1,088 | $3,889 |
| 1961 | $4,032 | $1,077 | $3,759 |
| 1960 | $3,993 | $1,038 | $3,667 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The value of everything produced in the country in a year, divided by its people, in 2015 US dollars so that years compare.
- Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators.
- Ranks count the 186 countries with a value in 2025, 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
South Africa vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancySouth Africa: 66.1 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Africa: 3.75% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Africa: 63.8% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Africa: 28.2 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Africa: 6.5% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Africa: $3B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Africa: $49 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Africa: 89,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025