South Africa is 10.4 times bigger by total area compared to Eritrea: 471,445 sq mi vs 45,406 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of South Africa is 468,377 sq mi vs 46,787 sq mi for Eritrea — a 10 times difference in territory size.
- Eritrea ranks 99/197 by total surface area vs 24/197 for South Africa.
- Eritrea occupies 0.08% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.81% for South Africa.
- 62.7% of Eritrea's area is agricultural land vs 79.4% in South Africa.
- Eritrea has 0.16% of the world's agricultural land area — S. Africa has 2.02%.
- 8.63% of Eritrea is covered by forests, compared to 14% in S. Africa.
- 0.03% of the world's forests are in Eritrea, and 0.42% are in South Africa.
Total size and land area comparison
Eritrea
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
45,406 sq mi |
471,445 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 10.4 |
| Total area rank | 99/197 | 24/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.02% | 0.24% |
| Land area |
46,787 sq mi |
468,377 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 10 |
| Land area rank | 96/197 | 24/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.08% | 0.81% |
| Population | 3,535,603 | 64,007,187 |
| Population density | 78.6 ppl/mi² | 139.8 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Eritrea
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
4,038 sq mi |
65,409 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 8.63% | 14% |
| Forest area rank | 123/196 | 39/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.03% | 0.42% |
Agricultural land area
|
29,313 sq mi |
371,975 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 62.7% | 79.4% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 79/194 | 13/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.16% | 2.02% |
|
Arable land
|
2,664 sq mi |
46,332 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 5.69% | 9.89% |
| Arable land area rank | 119/191 | 24/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
7.72 sq mi |
1,595 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.02% | 0.34% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 175/192 | 57/192 |
|
Water area
|
0 sq mi |
3,068 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 0% | 0.65% |
| Water area rank | 174/197 | 56/197 |
| Roads length |
9,942 mi |
466,028 mi |
| Land borders length |
1,143 mi |
3,258 mi |
| Coastline length |
1,388 mi |
1,739 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0% | 15.4% |
Eritrea vs South Africa size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/eritrea/south-africa | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Eritrea and South Africa but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.