Indonesia vs South Africa
Indonesia has 4.4× the population of South Africa: 285,721,236 vs 64,747,319, a gap of 221.0 million. South Africa is growing faster (+1.15% vs +0.78% a year), adding about 744,395 people a year against +2,242,079. At these source-year rates the modelled relative population gap is narrowing, but too slowly to close within two centuries. Indonesia is 2.9× as densely populated (148.6 vs 52.1 people per km²). People in Indonesia live 5.0 years longer on average (71.3 vs 66.3). GDP per capita is 1.3× higher in South Africa ($6,598 vs $5,060).
Country/territory population bases: World Bank 2025 (Indonesia) and 2025 (South Africa); growth years 2025 / 2025. Annual source values, not live counts; years may differ. Growth is national, not local.
Indonesia vs South Africa — side by side
 Indonesia |  South Africa | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 285,721,2362025 | 64,747,3192025 |
| Growth rate / yr | +0.78%2025 | +1.15%2025 |
| Births per 1,000 | 15.82024 | 18.52024 |
| Deaths per 1,000 | 7.62024 | 9.22024 |
| Children per woman | 2.122024 | 2.212024 |
| Life expectancy | 71.3 yrs2024 | 66.3 yrs2024 |
| Aged 0–14 | 24.2%2025 | 25.7%2025 |
| Aged 65+ | 7.5%2025 | 6.9%2025 |
| Density | 148.6 /km²2023 | 52.1 /km²2023 |
| Area | 1,916,907 km²2023 | 1,219,090 km²2023 |
| Urban population | 59.4%2025 | 63.8%2025 |
| Net migration / yr | -39,5092025 | +146,3702025 |
| GDP per capita | $5,0602025 | $6,5982025 |
| Country population rank (available records) | #4 | #24 |
| Base / world population (World Bank 2025) | 3.48% | 0.79% |
Highlighted cell = the higher value (not "better"). Small print under each value is its own data year. Source: World Bank; country/territory population bases may have different years. These are not live counts.
Population since 1960
World Bank population history (not the separate UN WPP timeline). Indonesia: 3.2× from 1960 to 2025; South Africa: 3.9× from 1960 to 2025. Left: absolute population. Right: each series indexed to its own first available year = 100; baseline years may differ.
More comparisons
Regions: East Asia & Pacific · Sub-Saharan Africa · rankings
Indonesia: Indonesia vs India, Indonesia vs China, Indonesia vs United States, Indonesia vs Pakistan, Indonesia vs Nigeria, Indonesia vs Brazil, Indonesia vs Bangladesh, Indonesia vs Russia.
South Africa: South Africa vs India, South Africa vs China, South Africa vs United States, South Africa vs Indonesia, South Africa vs Pakistan, South Africa vs Nigeria, South Africa vs Brazil, South Africa vs Bangladesh.
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This page is a structured reference entry. Its sources, geographic definition and reference dates determine what the figures mean; it is not independent reporting about the causes of change. Read the accompanying explanation before comparing different places or vintages.