Mali vs South Africa: Land area in square kilometres
Mali
1.22 million sq. km
in 2023
South Africa
1.21 million sq. km
in 2023
Mali rank
23rd
South Africa rank
24th
Land area in square kilometres over time
- Mali
- South Africa
How they compare
Mali currently reports 1.22 million sq. km against 1.21 million sq. km in South Africa, a difference of 7,100 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 | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 7,100 sq. km | Mali |
| 1970s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 7,100 sq. km | Mali |
| 1980s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 7,100 sq. km | Mali |
| 1990s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 7,100 sq. km | Mali |
| 2000s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 7,100 sq. km | Mali |
| 2010s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 7,100 sq. km | Mali |
| 2020s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 7,100 sq. km | Mali |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher land area in square kilometres, Mali or South Africa?
- Mali, at 1.22 million sq. km against 1.21 million sq. km in South Africa as of 2023.
- What is the difference in land area in square kilometres between Mali and South Africa?
- 7,100 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 land area in square kilometres?
- Mali ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 24th of 215 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Land area in square kilometres. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Total land area, measured in square kilometres (km²). Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.