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Afghanistan vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 168 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Afghanistan
afg
Leads on 57 of 168 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 98 of 168 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 45% more people than Afghanistan (65.49 million vs 45.04 million). South Africa's economy is 33.8 times the size of Afghanistan's ($424.75 billion vs $12.56 billion GDP).

Comparing Afghanistan and South Africa: Afghanistan leads on Televisions (100,000) against South Africa (6); Afghanistan leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (634,100) against South Africa (50.02); Afghanistan leads on Radios (167,000) against South Africa (17). Across 168 compared metrics, Afghanistan wins on 57 and South Africa wins on 98.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.08 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)16.09 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)17.71 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 18% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.08 Mbps3.41 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score17.88 points75.71 points★
Radios167,000★17
Televisions100,000★6
Waterways1,200NA

Economy

60 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country5.62B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars12.56B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)15.29 %15.39 %★
Apple Import Volume90,480 tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate9.65 %85.38 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)NA11 %
Coal Revenue0.452.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)15 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.4 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business IndexOverall Ease of Doing Business score: 44.1 | Starting a Business score: 92.0 | Trading Across Borders score: 30.6 | Enforcing Contracts score: 31.8 59.6
Electricity Consumption5.53207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4585★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants52★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables410★
Electricity Imports4.410.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity634,100★50.02
Electricity Production1.21234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)3.38 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate5.3 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage7.29 %16.75 %★
Gender Wage Gap7.29 %★16.75 %
Gini Index Coefficient29.463★
Gross Fixed InvestmentNA%19.6
Gross National Saving22.7★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage0.34 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries1,964.45 USD13,597.65 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.8 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate-6.6 %★4.36 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)-6.6 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3.3 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption164.2★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production164.2906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves49.55★0
Oil Consumption4,800553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports4,512521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line54.5 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)10.39 % of GDP12.02 % of GDP★
Public Debt7.8★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.3 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends12.14 %★4.65 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption35,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports34,210195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances1.9★0.2
Tax Burden (% of GDP)9.9 %★24.77 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)9.9 % of GDP24.77 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues9.926★
Top Exporting Countries2.89B USD126.84B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.14 %9.68 %★
Unemployment Rate13.3 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate37.46 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate16.79 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)309,679★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature13.8 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions7.76★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution266.24 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionpopulations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populatedthe population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation3.6 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage3.6 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country10.65 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources65.33★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species12 species★33 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.35 %★1.94 %
Agricultural land387,372 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km652,2301.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita43.87 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land24,930★16,700

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country6.1 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions34★9
Corruption Perception Index17 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score17 index41 index★
Independence1931★
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.2110.94★
Prison Population Rate62 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception17★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water30.55 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults22.6 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate55 %76 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)11.7★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.29 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.8 per 1,000 births1.87 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita404.26 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score42 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)21.8 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.29 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.1%18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.4 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Malaria Incidence Rate17.76 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)521 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth20.122.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.45 per 1,000 people1.2 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.5 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending77.14 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS12,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.210.78★
Underweight Children Under 518.44.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel100,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.83 %0.84 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)165,000★89,000

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)65.73 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.420.42★
Life expectancy at birth69.52 years71.98 years★
Median age of population17.46 years29 years★
Population Change1.50M persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density68.74 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population45.04M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.090.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA
Beer Consumption per Capita0 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)35.99 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate18.9 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate35.01 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.79 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age10.79M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)5.94 %27.59 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.08 %3.41 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.53 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.180.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate9.1327.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.41 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population4.59 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)165.26166.68★
Mean Years of Schooling5.69 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age22★18
Military Service Age and Obligationservice is voluntary; there is no conscription (2023) note: the Taliban dismissed nearly all women from the former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, except those serving in detention facilities and assisting with body searches18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio4.37 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization82.81 %★79.63 %
Physician Density0.32 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.86 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums74.25 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio43.3930.33★
Total deaths213,986.9 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)36.45 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate4.57 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration192,894.5 persons★39,599.6 persons
Under-five mortality rate50.42 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.69 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population9.63 millions47.28 millions★

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.040.37★
Airports68573★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel290★
Heliports849★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita74.83M USD2.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate7.5 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Afghanistan vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Afghanistan or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 45% more people than Afghanistan (65.49 million vs 45.04 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Afghanistan or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 33.8 times the size of Afghanistan's ($424.75 billion vs $12.56 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Afghanistan or South Africa?▾

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $278.78 in Afghanistan (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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