Flag of south africa South Africa vs Flag of algeria Algeria

International relations comparison · updated Sep 2026
5.6 / 10
Neutral

The relation between South Africa and Algeria is NEUTRAL, with an overall score of 5.6 out of 10.

Chance of conflict between both countries: rare

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Head to head: who leads each category

Population
South Africa 59.3M Leads
Algeria 43.9M
GDP
South Africa $427.2B Leads
Algeria $287.0B
Military expenditure
South Africa $2.8B
Algeria $21.8B Leads
Global influence rank
South Africa #39 Leads
Algeria #71

About this relationship

Not every pair of countries has a saga to tell, and Algeria and South Africa are a good example: modest trade, no notable disputes, and very little written about them together. A calm, unremarkable relationship — which, geopolitically speaking, is usually a good sign.

·
59.3MLeads
Population
43.9M
1.2M km²
Land area
2.4M km²Leads
Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town
Capital
Algiers
Christianity
Main religion
Islam
64 years
Life expectancy
76 years

Strengths & comparison

Population South Africa is 1.35x larger
Land area Algeria is 1.96x larger

The position in the international influence ranking of South Africa is 39, while Algeria is situated 32 places below in the ranking (position 71). South Africa maintains contact with 79 countries, while Algeria maintains contact with 52 countries. South Africa maintains an excellent relation with 6 countries, while in the case of Algeria, this figure drops to 3.

About South Africa

South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of the African continent. It has a diverse and complex history, with a mix of African, European, and Asian cultural influences.

The country has a population of around 59 million people and is home to a variety of ethnic groups, including the Zulu, Xhosa, Basotho, and Bapedi. The official languages are English, Afrikaans, and isiZulu.

South Africa has a mixed economy that is the second largest in Africa and is heavily dependent on natural resources such as gold, platinum, and diamonds. The country has a well-developed financial sector and is a major exporter of agricultural products.

Politically, South Africa is a parliamentary democracy with a president who serves as both the head of state and government. The country has a long history of civil rights activism and has made significant progress in addressing issues of racial inequality, although challenges remain.

Geographically, South Africa is a diverse country with a range of landscapes, including mountains, grasslands, and forests. It is also home to a number of national parks and wildlife reserves, which are important for both conservation and tourism.

Geography & terrain

Terrain rises from narrow coastal belts to a broad interior plateau (the Highveld), separated by the Great Escarpment and Drakensberg mountains. Climate ranges from Mediterranean in the southwest to subtropical and semi-arid elsewhere. It has an extensive coastline on both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The escarpment offers some inland defense, but the long, accessible coast has historically made it easy to land forces and project power from the sea.

About Algeria

Algeria is a country located in North Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Tunisia to the northeast, Libya to the east, Niger to the southeast, Mali and Mauritania to the southwest, and Morocco to the west. It is the largest country in Africa and the Arab world, and the tenth-largest in the world.

Algeria has a long and complex history, having been ruled by various empires and powers throughout its history, including the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the French colonial empire. It gained independence from France in 1962, after a long and bloody struggle known as the Algerian War of Independence.

Since independence, Algeria has been ruled by a series of authoritarian governments, and has faced several internal conflicts and political instability. However, it has also made significant economic and social progress, with a strong focus on education and the development of its natural resources, particularly oil and natural gas.

Geopolitically, Algeria is an important player in the region, and is a member of the Arab League and the African Union. It has strong ties to its neighbors and other countries in the region, and is involved in regional efforts to promote stability and cooperation. It is also a major player in the global energy market, and is a key supplier of oil and natural gas to Europe and other parts of the world.

Geography & terrain

A narrow, fertile Mediterranean coastal strip gives way to the Atlas Mountains and then the vast Sahara Desert, which covers most of the country. Climate ranges from Mediterranean on the coast to hot and arid in the interior. The desert interior is a formidable natural barrier against invasion, though the populated coastal belt is more exposed to seaborne attack.

Source: World Bank Open Data. Most recent available data
South Africa Algeria
Government type Parliamentary republic Semi-presidential republic
GDP $427.2BLeads $287.0B
GDP per capita $6.6KLeads $6.1K
Military expenditure $2.8B $21.8BLeads
Military expenditure per capita $48 $497Leads
Land military expenditure (estimation) $1.3B $10.9BLeads
Air military expenditure (estimation) $850.8M $5.5BLeads
Naval military expenditure (estimation) $709.0M $5.5BLeads
Nuclear power No No
European Union Not a member Not a member
NATO Not a member Not a member

South Africa and Algeria also share membership in: African Union

Strengths & comparison

Military expenditure Algeria is 7.69x larger
Land (estimation)
$1.3B$10.9B
Air (estimation)
$850.8M$5.5B
Naval (estimation)
$709.0M$5.5B

The capitals of South Africa and Algeria are approximately 7 433 km apart (straight-line distance). There is a standard time difference of about 1.0 hours between them.

Based on shared language, currency, economic profile, borders and international groups, South Africa and Algeria score a 35/100 similarity index. This is a fun, approximate metric — not a scientific one.

Excellent relation (7+/10) with both countries

China

Which side is each country closer to?

Map legend
Closer to South Africa Closer to Algeria

Comparing South Africa's and Algeria's scores against the same third countries shows where each one has a clear edge. South Africa scores noticeably higher with: United States, United Kingdom, India, France, Greece. Algeria scores noticeably higher with: Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, China, Ukraine.

The relation between South Africa and Algeria hasn't changed recently, and it remains at 5.6.

Score history

Jan 2022: 2.7/10 Feb 2022: 4.5/10 Mar 2022: 5.0/10 May 2022: 5.0/10 Jul 2022: 5.0/10 Sep 2022: 5.0/10 Oct 2022: 5.0/10 Nov 2022: 5.6/10 Dec 2022: 5.6/10 Jan 2023: 5.6/10 Jun 2023: 5.6/10 Oct 2023: 5.6/10 Nov 2023: 5.6/10 Jan 2024: 5.6/10 Feb 2024: 5.6/10 Mar 2024: 5.6/10 May 2024: 5.6/10 Aug 2024: 5.6/10 Apr 2025: 5.6/10 Aug 2025: 5.6/10 Aug 2026: 5.6/10
2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
5.6 5.6

Let's suppose a hypothetical conflict occurs between both countries:

Solo scenario: South Africa vs Algeria
South Africa 44.8% Algeria 55.2%Winner

Want to build your own teams? Try the War Simulator.

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