China vs South Africa: Share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco
China
22.8%
in 2024
South Africa
23.7%
in 2024
China rank
63rd
South Africa rank
56th
Share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco over time
- China
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 23.7% against 22.8% in China, a difference of 0.9%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 9 shared years of data; in 2000 it was China ahead.
China ranks 63rd and South Africa ranks 56th of 167 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 26.2% | 22.7% | 3.5% | China |
| 2010s | 24.7% | 23.1% | 1.6% | China |
| 2020s | 23.1% | 23.6% | 0.5% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco, China or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 23.7% against 22.8% in China as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco between China and South Africa?
- 0.9%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and South Africa?
- 9 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do China and South Africa rank globally for share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco?
- China ranks 63rd and South Africa ranks 56th of 167 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing 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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About this data
Estimated percentage of adults (15 years and older) who currently use tobacco. This includes all forms of tobacco use, such as smoking, chewing or snuffing, but excludes products that do not contain tobacco, such as e-cigarettes.