Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Saint Martin instead of South Africa, you would:

Health

live 15.3 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Saint Martin, that number is 81 years (77 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 35.0% more money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in Saint Martin, the GDP per capita is $19,300 as of 2005.

Life

be 74.1% less likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Saint Martin, on the other hand, 6.7 children do as of 2022.

have 21.5% fewer children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Saint Martin, there are 13.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 15.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 86% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Saint Martin, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 32.6% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Saint Martin, about 48.5% do as of 2022.

Geography

see 97.9% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Saint Martin, that number is 59 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Saint Martin: At a glance

Saint Martin is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 54 sq km. Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished Saint Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. Friction between the two sides caused the border to frequently fluctuate over the next two centuries, with the French eventually holding the greater portion of the island (about 57%). The cultivation of sugar cane introduced African slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of Saint Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2010, the southern Dutch portion of the island became the independent nation of Sint Maarten within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Read more

How big is Saint Martin compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Saint Martin.or South Africa It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.