South Africa vs Taiwan: Compare Statistics
Side-by-side comparison of 103 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.
Summary
South Africa has 2.8 times as many people as Taiwan (65.49 million vs 23.01 million).
Comparing South Africa and Taiwan: South Africa leads on Oil Consumption (553,000) against Taiwan (1.00); Taiwan leads on Share of population in poverty ($3 a day) (0.24) against South Africa (29.54); South Africa leads on Population Growth Rate (1.06 %) against Taiwan (0.02 %). Across 103 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 38 and Taiwan wins on 53.
- Communications: 5 metrics compared
- Economy: 42 metrics compared
- Environment: 4 metrics compared
- Geography: 3 metrics compared
- Government: 8 metrics compared
- Health: 3 metrics compared
- Military and Security: 2 metrics compared
- People and Society: 31 metrics compared
- Transportation: 3 metrics compared
- Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
- Other: 1 metric compared
Communications
5 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Users | percent of population: 76% (2023 est.) | percent of population: 90% (2021 est.) | |
| Press Freedom Index Score | 75.71 points | 77.04 points★ | |
| Radios | 17★ | 16 | |
| Televisions | 6 | 8.8★ | |
| Waterways | NA | NA |
Economy
42 metricsEnvironment
4 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs) | 3.23M | -4.78M★ | |
| Carbon Dioxide Emissions | 446.7 | 289.11★ | |
| Population Distribution | the population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map | distribution exhibits a peripheral coastal settlement pattern, with the largest populations on the north and west coasts | |
| Total Renewable Water Resources | 51.35 | 67★ |
Geography
3 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization | 1.94 % | 17.76 %★ | |
| Coastline Length (km) | 2,798 km★ | 1,566.3 km | |
| Irrigated Land | 16,700★ | 3,820 |
Government
8 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule of Law Index by Country | 61.59 % | 89.15 %★ | |
| Administrative Divisions | 9 | includes main island of Taiwan, plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 13 counties ( xian , singular and plural), 3 cities ( shi , singular and plural), and 6 special municipalities directly under the | |
| Corruption Perception Index | 41 index★ | 67 index | |
| Corruption Perceptions Index Score | 41 index | 67 index★ | |
| LGBT Rights Index Score | 10.94★ | 5.43 | |
| Prison Population Rate | 260 per 100,000★ | 270 per 100,000 | |
| Public Sector Corruption Perception | 41★ | 67 | |
| Suffrage Participation Rate | 18 | 20★ |
Health
3 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate | 18.3 % | NA | |
| People Living With HIV/AIDS | 7.8 | NA | |
| Underweight Children Under 5 | 5.5 | NA |
Military and Security
2 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Military Personnel | 74,000 personnel | 169,000 personnel★ | |
| Military Expenditure (% of GDP) | 0.74 %★ | 2.1 % |
People and Society
31 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currently married (Percent) | 33.25 % | 45.56 %★ | |
| Life expectancy at birth | 71.98 years | 83.69 years★ | |
| Median age of population | 29 years | 45.4 years★ | |
| Population Change | 673,269.7 persons★ | -72,305.8 persons | |
| Population density | 53.74 per sq. km★ | 649.4 per sq. km | |
| Total population | 65.49M persons★ | 23.01M persons | |
| Academic Freedom Index | 0.83★ | 0.83 | |
| Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & Rankings | A | AA★ | |
| Birth Rate (%) | 17.21 %★ | 7.22 % | |
| Contraceptive Prevalence Rate | 54.6 % | 75.2 %★ | |
| Death Rate (%) | 6.56 %★ | 8.18 % | |
| Education Expenditure (% of GDP) | 6.6 % of GDP | NA | |
| Female population of reproductive age | 18.20M persons★ | 5.06M persons | |
| Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth | 103.52 male/female | 106.81 male/female★ | |
| Human Development Index | 0.48 | 0.72★ | |
| Labor Force Participation Rate | 25.16★ | 11.5 | |
| Major Urban Areas Population | 10.32 people★ | 4.5 people | |
| Mean Male Height (cm) | 166.68 | 174.52★ | |
| Mean Years of Schooling | 10.47 years | 12.76 years★ | |
| Military Manpower at Military Age | 18 | 19★ | |
| Military Service Age and Obligation | 18 | men 18-36 years of age may volunteer or must complete 12 months of compulsory military service; civil service can be substituted for military service in some cases; women can volunteer (2025) note: in January 2024, Taiwan extended compulsory service from | |
| Old-Age Dependency Ratio | 9.65 %★ | 26.25 % | |
| Percentage of population by degree of urbanization | 79.63 % | 94.63 %★ | |
| Physician Density | 0.79 people/sq km | NA | |
| Population Growth Rate | 1.06 %★ | 0.02 % | |
| Total deaths | 540,582.7 persons | 212,064.2 persons★ | |
| Total demand for family planning (Percent) | 62.02 %★ | 56.09 % | |
| Total fertility rate | 2.17 per woman★ | 0.82 per woman | |
| Total net-migration | 39,599.6 persons★ | 24,561.2 persons | |
| Under-five mortality rate | 28.89 per live births | 4.24 per live births★ | |
| Voting Age Population | 39.64 millions | 71.24 millions★ |
Transportation
3 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP) | 0.37 | 1.31★ | |
| Airports | 573★ | 57 | |
| Heliports | 49 | 56★ |
Travel and Tourism
1 metric| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourism Receipts per Capita | 4.96B USD★ | 3.38B USD |
Other
1 metric| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Bank Rate | 7 %★ | 2 % |
Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Taiwan
Which has a larger population, South Africa or Taiwan?▾
South Africa. South Africa has 2.8 times as many people as Taiwan (65.49 million vs 23.01 million). Data for 2026.