South Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa·Upper middle incomeG20BRICS

Population: 63.2M; 24th of 217
GDP: $400B; 41st of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $6,253; 129th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 66.1; 182nd of 217
Human development: 0.713; 107th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

South Africa

Nigeria

Egypt, Arab Republic of

Kenya

Ethiopia

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

upper-middle-income, largest southern African economy; Government of National Unity facing slow growth, fiscal gaps, and structural challenges; high income inequality, unemployment, and poverty; reforms to address electricity generation, transport, and logistics; leading producer and exporter of critical minerals

Area: 1,219,090 km²
Resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, rare earth…
Borders: Botswana 1,969 km; Lesotho 1,106 km; Mozambique; Namibia 1,005 km; Eswatini; Zimbabwe

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian85.3%▲ 0.9pt
Other8.9%▲ 2.1pt
Unaffiliated3.1%▼ 2.7pt
Muslim1.6%
Hindu1.1%

Religious diversity: 3.08 / 10 · moderate · 93rd of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

ZAF

NGA

EGY

KEN

GDP

current US$

$400B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$2.42B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

58.3%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

2.9%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

24.4%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

63.2M–––

Population density

people per km²

51.4–––

Urban population

% of total

68.8%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

2.2–––

Net migration

people

167K–––

Population under 15

% of total

25.9%–––

Population 65+

% of total

6.7%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

8.8%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

6.1%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

21.3K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

3,824.7–––

Electricity generation

TWh

244.8–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

1.1%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.508–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.398–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

8.06–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

4.24–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

4.03–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

4.64–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

30.3%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

2.56–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

19.2%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

40.9%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

63.5%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

37.2%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

38.7%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

4.77–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

3.08–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

3.1%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

2.43–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

2.61–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

2.52–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

2.68–––

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

7.55–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.52–––

Would fight for country

% yes

56.6%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

2.44–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

0.7%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#41/214

$400B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#129/214

$6,2532024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#117/203

$15,194latest

GDP growth

annual %

#184/214

0.6%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#118/207

$6,1002024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#109/213

3.8%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#62/201

$2.42B2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#90/205

58.3%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#135/206

2.9%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#96/208

24.4%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#186/187

32.1%latest

Gini index

0–100

#168/168

63latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#134/168

31.2%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#24/217

63.2Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#151/216

51.4latest

Urban population

% of total

#93/215

68.8%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#182/217

66.1latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#94/217

2.2latest

Net migration

people

#10/217

167K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#92/217

25.9%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#126/217

6.7%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#139/196

24.4latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#142/196

34.7latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#49/192

8.8%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#126/195

0.8latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#97/160

90%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#29/199

6.1%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#120/194

27.2%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#122/210

75.7%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#15/214

171.52023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#146/208

3.42023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#48/215

16.7K2024

Access to electricity

% of population

#163/215

87.7%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#73/198

21.3K2024

Electricity per capita

kWh

#79/202

3,824.72024

Electricity generation

TWh

#21/202

244.82024

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#146/202

13.2%2024

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#141/202

83.3%2024

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#190/204

439.82024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#166/204

6.92024

Share of global CO₂

#15/204

1.1%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#145/193

8.12023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#50/172

0.6922022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#49/172

0.5812022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#75/178

432022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#99/193

-0.322022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#95/193

-0.1252022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#82/193

0.01972022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#152/193

-0.7222022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#60/172

0.842022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#31/104

0.5082013

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#36/105

0.3982013

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#58/113

8.062013

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#40/112

4.242013

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#40/114

4.032013

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#63/114

4.642013

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#112/114

4.062013

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#109/111

4.042013

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#60/113

30.3%2013

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#39/109

2.562013

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#45/112

19.2%2013

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#12/112

40.9%2013

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#17/114

63.5%2013

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#48/114

37.2%2013

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#98/110

38.7%2013

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#44/109

4.772013

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#93/193

3.082020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#102/193

3.1%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#49/114

23.4%2013

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#42/112

2.432013

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#18/113

2.612013

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#55/110

2.522013

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#35/111

2.682013

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

#94/104

7.552013

National pride

mean, 1–4

#57/114

3.522013

Would fight for country

% yes

#88/113

56.6%2013

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#44/114

2.442013

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#107/189

0.7132021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#97/170

0.4052021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#109/164

5.012025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#63/113

7.122013

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#85/114

6.632013

Global Peace Index

1–5

#127/158

2.412023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#137/161

0.7%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.