What is the difference in surface area between Mali and South Africa?

21,100 sq. km, with Mali ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Mali and South Africa?

63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.

Mali vs South Africa: Surface area

Mali

1.24 million sq. km

in 2023

South Africa

1.22 million sq. km

in 2023

Mali rank

23rd

South Africa rank

24th

Surface area over time

Mali
South Africa

How they compare

Mali currently reports 1.24 million sq. km against 1.22 million sq. km in South Africa, a difference of 21,100 sq. km.

Across all 63 years both countries report, Mali has been ahead every year.

Mali ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 24th of 215 countries.

Mali has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Mali	South Africa	Difference	Ahead
1960s	1.24 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	21,100 sq. km	Mali
1970s	1.24 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	21,100 sq. km	Mali
1980s	1.24 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	21,100 sq. km	Mali
1990s	1.24 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	21,100 sq. km	Mali
2000s	1.24 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	21,100 sq. km	Mali
2010s	1.24 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	21,100 sq. km	Mali
2020s	1.24 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	21,100 sq. km	Mali

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher surface area, Mali or South Africa?: Mali, at 1.24 million sq. km against 1.22 million sq. km in South Africa as of 2023.
What is the difference in surface area between Mali and South Africa?: 21,100 sq. km, with Mali ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Mali and South Africa?: 63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
How do Mali and South Africa rank globally for surface area?: Mali ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 24th of 215 countries.
Where does this data come from?: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as Surface area (sq. km). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Mali vs South Africa: Surface area. Statizoid, drawing on FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/compare/surface-area-sq-km/mali/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Surface area (sq. km)
Unit: sq. km
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 263 places, 16,395 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed: 20 August 2026

Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways.