South Africa vs Netherlands
South Africa vs Netherlands: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 18.8% in South Africa and 11% in Netherlands, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in South Africa, by 7.8 percentage points, or 1.71 times that in Netherlands.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2024, South Africa ranked 133 and Netherlands ranked 165 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | South Africa | Netherlands | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18.8 | 11 | – |
| 2023 | 18.7 | 10.9 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 18.7 | 10.9 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 18.6 | 10.9 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 18.5 | 10.9 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 18.4 | 10.9 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 18.4 | 10.9 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 18.3 | 10.9 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 18.2 | 10.9 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 18.1 | 10.8 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 18.1 | 10.9 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 18 | 10.9 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 17.9 | 11 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 17.9 | 11 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 17.8 | 11.1 | 32 |
| 2009 | 17.7 | 11 | 32 |
| 2008 | 17.6 | 11 | 32 |
| 2007 | 17.6 | 10.9 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 17.5 | 10.9 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 17.4 | 10.9 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 17.4 | 10.8 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 17.3 | 10.8 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 17.2 | 10.7 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 17.1 | 10.7 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 17.1 | 10.7 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 17 | 10.6 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 16.9 | 10.6 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 16.8 | 10.5 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 16.8 | 10.5 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 16.7 | 10.4 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 16.6 | 10.4 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 16.6 | 10.4 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 16.5 | 10.3 | 33 |
| 1991 | 16.4 | 10.3 | – |
| 1990 | 16.3 | 10.2 | – |
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
South Africa vs Netherlands
Health
- Life expectancySouth Africa: 66.1 years in 2023Netherlands: 82.2 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024Netherlands: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023Netherlands: 3.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Africa: 3.75% in 2017Netherlands: 4.03% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Netherlands: 9.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023Netherlands: 18.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023Netherlands: 0.81% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023Netherlands: 1.43 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Africa: 63.8% in 2025Netherlands: 95.9% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Africa: 28.2 years in 2023Netherlands: 41.4 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Africa: 6.5% in 2023Netherlands: 20.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Netherlands: 8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025Netherlands: 2.2% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Africa: $3B in 2025Netherlands: $27B in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Africa: $49 in 2025Netherlands: $1,582 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025Netherlands: 4.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Africa: 89,000 people in 2020Netherlands: 41,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022Netherlands: 0.38% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020Netherlands: 0.42% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025Netherlands: 824 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025Netherlands: 601 million TIV in 2025