South Africa vs Zimbabwe
South Africa vs Zimbabwe: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 18.8% in South Africa and 35.7% in Zimbabwe, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Zimbabwe, by 16.9 percentage points, or 1.9 times that in South Africa.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- Zimbabwe has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2024, South Africa ranked 133 and Zimbabwe ranked 93 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | South Africa | Zimbabwe | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18.8 | 35.7 | – |
| 2023 | 18.7 | 35.9 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 18.7 | 36 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 18.6 | 36.1 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 18.5 | 36.3 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 18.4 | 36.4 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 18.4 | 36.6 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 18.3 | 36.7 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 18.2 | 36.8 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 18.1 | 37 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 18.1 | 37.1 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 18 | 37.3 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 17.9 | 37.4 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 17.9 | 37.6 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 17.8 | 37.7 | 32 |
| 2009 | 17.7 | 38 | 32 |
| 2008 | 17.6 | 38.3 | 32 |
| 2007 | 17.6 | 38.6 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 17.5 | 38.8 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 17.4 | 39.1 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 17.4 | 39.4 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 17.3 | 39.7 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 17.2 | 39.9 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 17.1 | 40.2 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 17.1 | 40.5 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 17 | 40.8 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 16.9 | 41 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 16.8 | 41.3 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 16.8 | 41.6 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 16.7 | 41.8 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 16.6 | 42.1 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 16.6 | 42.4 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 16.5 | 42.7 | 33 |
| 1991 | 16.4 | 42.9 | – |
| 1990 | 16.3 | 43.2 | – |
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 Zimbabwe
Health
- Life expectancySouth Africa: 66.1 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 62.8 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024Zimbabwe: 6.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zimbabwe: 33.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Africa: 3.75% in 2017Zimbabwe: 3.19% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Zimbabwe: 26.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023Zimbabwe: 16.3 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023Zimbabwe: 1.68% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Africa: 63.8% in 2025Zimbabwe: 40.5% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Africa: 28.2 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Africa: 6.5% in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Zimbabwe: -6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025Zimbabwe: 0.56% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Africa: $3B in 2025Zimbabwe: $134M in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Africa: $49 in 2025Zimbabwe: $10 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025Zimbabwe: 5.3% of government spending in 2005
- Armed forces personnelSouth Africa: 89,000 people in 2020Zimbabwe: 51,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022Zimbabwe: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020Zimbabwe: 0.88% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025Zimbabwe: 20 million TIV in 2023
- Arms exportsSouth Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025Zimbabwe: 4 million TIV in 2001