South Africa vs Switzerland: Share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco
South Africa
23.7%
in 2024
Switzerland
23.1%
in 2024
South Africa rank
56th
Switzerland rank
60th
Share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco over time
- South Africa
- Switzerland
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 23.7% against 23.1% in Switzerland, a difference of 0.6%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 9 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Switzerland ahead.
South Africa ranks 56th and Switzerland ranks 60th of 167 countries.
Switzerland has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Switzerland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.7% | 29.0% | 6.2% | Switzerland |
| 2010s | 23.1% | 26.2% | 3.1% | Switzerland |
| 2020s | 23.6% | 23.6% | 0.0% | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco, South Africa or Switzerland?
- South Africa, at 23.7% against 23.1% in Switzerland as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco between South Africa and Switzerland?
- 0.6%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Switzerland?
- 9 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and Switzerland rank globally for share of adults who smoke or use other tobacco?
- South Africa ranks 56th and Switzerland ranks 60th 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.