South Africa vs Zambia
South Africa vs Zambia: GDP per person
GDP per person in 2025: $5,713 in South Africa and $1,356 in Zambia, by World Bank estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by $4,357, or 4.21 times that in Zambia.
US dollars at 2015 prices · World Bank
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1960.
- In 2025, South Africa ranked 101 and Zambia ranked 159 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 | Zambia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,713 | $1,356 | $12,130 |
| 2024 | $5,715 | $1,343 | $11,890 |
| 2023 | $5,757 | $1,331 | $11,670 |
| 2022 | $5,787 | $1,299 | $11,450 |
| 2021 | $5,751 | $1,269 | $11,170 |
| 2020 | $5,570 | $1,229 | $10,580 |
| 2019 | $6,033 | $1,301 | $11,000 |
| 2018 | $6,117 | $1,321 | $10,820 |
| 2017 | $6,126 | $1,309 | $10,590 |
| 2016 | $6,095 | $1,304 | $10,360 |
| 2015 | $6,112 | $1,296 | $10,190 |
| 2014 | $6,155 | $1,299 | $10,000 |
| 2013 | $6,171 | $1,281 | $9,811 |
| 2012 | $6,122 | $1,259 | $9,654 |
| 2011 | $6,067 | $1,208 | $9,515 |
| 2010 | $5,954 | $1,183 | $9,322 |
| 2009 | $5,847 | $1,111 | $9,028 |
| 2008 | $6,010 | $1,054 | $9,266 |
| 2007 | $5,891 | $1,013 | $9,191 |
| 2006 | $5,651 | $969 | $8,913 |
| 2005 | $5,406 | $929 | $8,639 |
| 2004 | $5,187 | $896 | $8,409 |
| 2003 | $5,012 | $864 | $8,151 |
| 2002 | $4,917 | $833 | $8,011 |
| 2001 | $4,786 | $822 | $7,932 |
| 2000 | $4,701 | $805 | $7,880 |
| 1999 | $4,553 | $796 | $7,639 |
| 1998 | $4,495 | $782 | $7,479 |
| 1997 | $4,527 | $806 | $7,382 |
| 1996 | $4,466 | $796 | $7,203 |
| 1995 | $4,337 | $768 | $7,058 |
| 1994 | $4,258 | $765 | $6,944 |
| 1993 | $4,194 | $857 | $6,819 |
| 1992 | $4,226 | $822 | $6,801 |
| 1991 | $4,396 | $857 | $6,773 |
| 1990 | $4,544 | $879 | $6,804 |
| 1989 | $4,687 | $906 | $6,741 |
| 1988 | $4,714 | $940 | $6,620 |
| 1987 | $4,664 | $909 | $6,446 |
| 1986 | $4,713 | $911 | $6,326 |
| 1985 | $4,865 | $932 | $6,233 |
| 1984 | $5,092 | $945 | $6,120 |
| 1983 | $5,015 | $978 | $5,947 |
| 1982 | $5,291 | $1,030 | $5,903 |
| 1981 | $5,499 | $1,094 | $5,986 |
| 1980 | $5,400 | $1,063 | $5,980 |
| 1979 | $5,221 | $1,063 | $5,978 |
| 1978 | $5,168 | $1,129 | $5,843 |
| 1977 | $5,156 | $1,158 | $5,710 |
| 1976 | $5,302 | $1,251 | $5,591 |
| 1975 | $5,328 | $1,214 | $5,410 |
| 1974 | $5,386 | $1,280 | $5,467 |
| 1973 | $5,221 | $1,238 | $5,465 |
| 1972 | $5,137 | $1,287 | $5,236 |
| 1971 | $5,201 | $1,212 | $5,061 |
| 1970 | $5,136 | $1,247 | $4,964 |
| 1969 | $5,030 | $1,225 | $4,885 |
| 1968 | $4,954 | $1,270 | $4,707 |
| 1967 | $4,907 | $1,296 | $4,535 |
| 1966 | $4,722 | $1,240 | $4,461 |
| 1965 | $4,664 | $1,355 | $4,321 |
| 1964 | $4,532 | $1,199 | $4,176 |
| 1963 | $4,329 | $1,103 | $3,999 |
| 1962 | $4,156 | $1,102 | $3,889 |
| 1961 | $4,032 | $1,167 | $3,759 |
| 1960 | $3,993 | $1,188 | $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 Zambia
Health
- Life expectancySouth Africa: 66.1 years in 2023Zambia: 66.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024Zambia: 4.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zambia: 38.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Africa: 3.75% in 2017Zambia: 3.64% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Zambia: 13.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023Zambia: 20.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023Zambia: 2.83% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023Zambia: 4.1 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Africa: 63.8% in 2025Zambia: 45.9% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Africa: 28.2 years in 2023Zambia: 17.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Africa: 6.5% in 2023Zambia: 1.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Zambia: 0.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025Zambia: 1.26% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Africa: $3B in 2025Zambia: $343M in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Africa: $49 in 2025Zambia: $19 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025Zambia: 4.5% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Africa: 89,000 people in 2020Zambia: 16,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022Zambia: 0.1% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020Zambia: 0.24% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025Zambia: 1 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsSouth Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025Zambia: 2 million TIV in 1990