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

47,400 sq. km, with Niger ahead.

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

64 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2024.

Niger vs South Africa: Surface area (sq. km)

Niger

1.27 million sq. km

in 2024

South Africa

1.22 million sq. km

in 2024

Niger rank

21st

South Africa rank

24th

Surface area (sq. km) over time

Niger
South Africa

How they compare

Niger currently reports 1.27 million sq. km against 1.22 million sq. km in South Africa, a difference of 47,400 sq. km.

Across all 64 years both countries report, Niger has been ahead every year.

Niger ranks 21st and South Africa ranks 24th of 216 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade	Niger	South Africa	Difference	Ahead
1960s	1.27 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	47,910 sq. km	Niger
1970s	1.27 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	47,910 sq. km	Niger
1980s	1.27 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	47,910 sq. km	Niger
1990s	1.27 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	47,910 sq. km	Niger
2000s	1.27 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	47,910 sq. km	Niger
2010s	1.27 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	47,910 sq. km	Niger
2020s	1.27 million sq. km	1.22 million sq. km	47,808 sq. km	Niger

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher surface area, Niger or South Africa?: Niger, at 1.27 million sq. km against 1.22 million sq. km in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in surface area between Niger and South Africa?: 47,400 sq. km, with Niger ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Niger and South Africa?: 64 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2024.
How do Niger and South Africa rank globally for surface area?: Niger ranks 21st and South Africa ranks 24th of 216 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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Niger 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 12 November 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/compare/surface-area-sq-km/niger/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: 264 places, 16,669 data points, 1961–2024
Last refreshed: 12 November 2026

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