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Country comparison

NamibiavsSouth Africa

See the biggest differences first, then scan the geographic, economic, and practical reference data.

This comparison uses the latest available atlas values for each country; reporting years can differ by metric.

The biggest differences first

Population

South Africa is higher

South Africa records 64,007,187, about 21.1× the other value.

Surface area

South Africa is higher

South Africa records 1,219,090 km², about 1.48× the other value.

Nominal GDP

South Africa is higher

South Africa records $401.14 billion, about 30.0× the other value.

What stands out

Proportional bars and relative differences make the headline numbers easier to read.

Population

🇳🇦 Namibia3,030,131
🇿🇦 South Africa64,007,187

South Africa’s population is about 21.1× that of Namibia, a difference of 60,977,056.

Surface area

🇳🇦 Namibia824,290 km²
🇿🇦 South Africa1,219,090 km²

South Africa’s surface area is 48% larger than that of Namibia, a difference of 394,800 km².

Population density

🇳🇦 Namibia3.7 /km²
🇿🇦 South Africa52.5 /km²

South Africa’s population density is about 14.3× that of Namibia, a difference of 48.8 /km².

Nominal GDP

🇳🇦 Namibia$13.37 billion · 2024
🇿🇦 South Africa$401.14 billion · 2024

South Africa’s nominal GDP is about 30.0× that of Namibia, a difference of $387.77 billion.

GDP per capita

🇳🇦 Namibia$4,413 · 2024
🇿🇦 South Africa$6,267 · 2024

South Africa’s GDP per capita is 42% higher than that of Namibia, a difference of $1,854.

Values use the latest available observations in WorldSumma. Economic reporting years are shown when available and can differ by country.

Full side-by-side comparison

Capital

Windhoek

Pretoria

Population

3,030,131

64,007,187

Surface area

824,290 km²

1,219,090 km²

Population density

3.7 /km²

52.5 /km²

Nominal GDP

$13.37 billion · 2024

$401.14 billion · 2024

GDP per capita

$4,413 · 2024

$6,267 · 2024

Region

Africa

Africa

Subregion

Southern Africa

Southern Africa

Currency

Namibian dollar · NAD · $

South African rand · ZAR · R

Nationality

Namibian

South African

Phone code

+264

+27

Internet domain

.na

.za

ISO codes

NA / NAM

ZA / ZAF

Time zone

Africa/Windhoek

Africa/Johannesburg

Native name

Namibia

South Africa

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About Namibia

Namibia is a country in southern Africa known for its diverse landscapes, including deserts, savannas, and coastal plains.

Full Namibia profile →

About South Africa

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost country in Africa. It is known for its diverse geography, including savannas, forests, deserts, and the iconic Table Mountain.

Full South Africa profile →

Namibia & South Africa: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the capital of Namibia?

The capital of Namibia is Windhoek.

What is the population of Namibia?

Namibia has a recorded population of approximately 3,030,131 people.

How big is Namibia?

Namibia covers an area of about 824,290 km².

What is the population density of Namibia?

Namibia has a population density of roughly 3.7 /km² (people per square kilometre).

What is the GDP of Namibia?

Namibia has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $13.37 billion as of 2024.

What is the GDP per capita of Namibia?

Namibia has a GDP per capita of approximately $4,413.

What currency is used in Namibia?

Namibia uses the Namibian dollar (NAD), with the symbol $.

Where is Namibia located?

Namibia is located in Southern Africa, Africa.

What are people from Namibia called?

People from Namibia are referred to as Namibian.

What is the phone calling code for Namibia?

The international dialing code for Namibia is +264.

What is the internet domain for Namibia?

The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Namibia is .na.

What time zone is Namibia in?

Namibia uses the Africa/Windhoek time zone.

What is Namibia known for?

Namibia is a country in southern Africa known for its diverse landscapes, including deserts, savannas, and coastal plains.

What is the capital of South Africa?

The capital of South Africa is Pretoria.

What is the population of South Africa?

South Africa has a recorded population of approximately 64,007,187 people.

How big is South Africa?

South Africa covers an area of about 1,219,090 km².

What is the population density of South Africa?

South Africa has a population density of roughly 52.5 /km² (people per square kilometre).

What is the GDP of South Africa?

South Africa has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $401.14 billion as of 2024.

What is the GDP per capita of South Africa?

South Africa has a GDP per capita of approximately $6,267.

What currency is used in South Africa?

South Africa uses the South African rand (ZAR), with the symbol R.

Where is South Africa located?

South Africa is located in Southern Africa, Africa.

What are people from South Africa called?

People from South Africa are referred to as South African.

What is the phone calling code for South Africa?

The international dialing code for South Africa is +27.

What is the internet domain for South Africa?

The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for South Africa is .za.

What time zone is South Africa in?

South Africa uses the Africa/Johannesburg time zone.

What is South Africa known for?

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost country in Africa. It is known for its diverse geography, including savannas, forests, deserts, and the iconic Table Mountain.