Compare South Africa vs United States

South Africa Africa

United States North America

Key Statistics

Population

people

64.0M

24th

340.1M

3rd

GDP

gross domestic product, US$

$401.1B

41st

$28.8T

1st

GDP per Capita

US$ per person

$6,267

129th

$84,534

12th

GNI per Capita (PPP)

international $

$15,150

119th

$85,980

10th

GDP Growth

annual %

0.5% 185th

2.8% 122nd

Surface Area

km²

1,219,090 km²

24th

9,831,510 km²

3rd

Population Density

people per km²

52.5 /km²

34.6 /km²

Fertility Rate

births per woman

2.2 94th

1.6 135th

Urban Population

% of population

63.7% 111th

80.1% 57th

Population 65+

% of population

6.7% 126th

17.9% 45th

Health

Life Expectancy

years at birth

66.1 yrs

183rd

78.4 yrs

63rd

Infant Mortality

per 1,000 live births

24.4 140th

5.5 56th

Maternal Mortality

per 100,000 live births

118.0 134th

17.0 67th

Health Spending per Capita

US$

$537

86th

$13,473

1st

Health Spending

% of GDP

8.9% 47th

16.7% 3rd

Physicians

per 1,000 people

0.79

132nd

3.68

39th

Hospital Beds

per 1,000 people

2.25

102nd

2.68

82nd

Population Pyramidsby age & sex, 2024

Population pyramid of South Africa — **South Africa**

Population pyramid of United States — **United States**

Economy & Environment

Unemployment Rate

% of labour force

32.3% 187th

4.0% 71st

GHG Emissions

tons per capita

9.01 142nd

17.74 175th

Agriculture

% of GDP

2.8%

1.0%

Industry

% of GDP

24.3%

17.9%

Services

% of GDP

63.0%

77.6%

Exports

% of GDP

31.8%

11.1%

Imports

% of GDP

29.9%

14.3%

Education & Society

Literacy Rate

% of adults

91.2% 89th

N/A

Education Spending

% of GDP

6.0% 26th

5.4% 44th

Gini Index

0 = perfect equality

63.0 171st

41.8 134th

Poverty Rate

at $2.15/day

31.2% 136th

1.2% 68th

Homicide Rate

per 100,000 people

43.7 190th

5.8 134th

Women in Parliament

% of seats

44.7% 15th

28.7% 76th

Female Labor Participation

% of female population

49.8% 120th

56.6% 73rd

Military Spending

% of GDP

0.7% 144th

3.4% 24th

Technology & Infrastructure

Internet Users

% of population

75.7%

122nd

93.1%

42nd

Mobile Subscriptions

per 100 people

171.5 15th

112.4 111th

Access to Electricity

% of population

87.7%

164th

100.0%

124th

Access to Water

% of population

90.2%

153rd

100.0%

44th

Access to Sanitation

% of population

77.4%

153rd

99.6%

34th

Renewable Energy

% of consumption

9.7% 146th

10.9% 143rd

Forest Area

% of land area

14.0% 147th

33.9% 96th

Ochre marks the leading country for each measure.

GDP Compositionagriculture · industry · services

Trade Balanceexports vs imports, % of GDP

Population Over Time1960 – 2024

GDP Over Time1960 – 2024, US$

Life Expectancy Over Time1960 – 2024

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