Belgium vs South Africa: Share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco

Belgium
23.5%
in 2024
South Africa
23.7%
in 2024
Belgium rank
57th
South Africa rank
55th

Share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco over time

  • Belgium
  • South Africa
0102030200020122024

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 23.7% against 23.5% in Belgium, a difference of 0.2%.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 7 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Belgium ahead.

Belgium ranks 57th and South Africa ranks 55th of 170 countries.

Belgium has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Belgium South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 29.0% 22.7% 6.3% Belgium
2010s 26.4% 23.1% 3.2% Belgium
2020s 24.9% 22.6% 2.3% Belgium

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco, Belgium or South Africa?
South Africa, at 23.7% against 23.5% in Belgium as of 2024.
What is the difference in share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco between Belgium and South Africa?
0.2%, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Belgium and South Africa?
7 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
How do Belgium and South Africa rank globally for share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco?
Belgium ranks 57th and South Africa ranks 55th of 170 countries.
Where does this data come from?
World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Belgium vs South Africa: Share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 30 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/prevalence-of-tobacco-use-sdgs/belgium/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
170 places, 1,020 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Age-standardized prevalence of current tobacco use among persons aged 15 years and older, by sex (%).