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Albania vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 174 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Albania
alb
Leads on 77 of 174 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 86 of 174 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 23.8 times as many people as Albania (65.49 million vs 2.75 million). South Africa's economy is 13.2 times the size of Albania's ($424.75 billion vs $32.19 billion GDP).

Comparing Albania and South Africa: Albania leads on Televisions (700,000) against South Africa (6); Albania leads on Major Urban Areas Population (520,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); South Africa leads on Airports (573) against Albania (3). Across 174 compared metrics, Albania wins on 77 and South Africa wins on 86.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 64 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration24.88 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)85.86 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)83.14 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 83% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed24.88 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score58.18 points75.71 points★
Radios117★
Televisions700,000★6
Waterways43NA

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country4.22B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars32.19B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)24.95 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume6.87M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate46.07 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)1.25 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.032.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)8.22 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business IndexOverall Ease of Doing Business score: 53.5 | Trading Across Borders score: 59.6
Electricity Consumption5.11207.1★
Electricity Exports1.8716.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels585★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants95★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports1.8310.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity2.1150.02★
Electricity Production7.14234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)27.41 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate71.99 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient29.463★
Gross Fixed Investment25.8★19.5
Gross National Saving15.916.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage25.74 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries22,724.29 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.2 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate2.15 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.2 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption50.97★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production50.97906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves821.2★0
Oil Consumption33,000553,000★
Oil Exports1,00454,930★
Oil Imports22,880521,400★
Oil Production10,930192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves199.1★15
Population Below Poverty Line22 people★55.5 people
Public Debt81.976.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.2 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends4 %7.42 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption29,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports3,250105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports26,660195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production5,638487,100★
Remittances8.4★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million428.7 researchers444.16 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.2 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)3.68★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)18.02 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)18.02 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues17.826★
Top Exporting Countries9.81B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)6.06 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires17★
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.78 %★3.54 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.78 %★3.54 %
Unemployment Rate10.3 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate64.26 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate25.57 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)27,115★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate28,764 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature14 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions3.39★446.7
Continental Shelfnot specified;200
Global Precipitation Distribution1,288.84 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributiona fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the countrythe 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 Adaptation25.1 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage23.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country6.2 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources30.251.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species4 species★33 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.95 %★1.94 %
Agricultural land10,883.34 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km27,4001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)362 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita1,456.16 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land1,90716,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country54.02 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions12★9
Corruption Perception Index42 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score42 index★41 index
Independence2831★
LGBT Rights Index Score6.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate196 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4241★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water70.79 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate81 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)1.41★114.21
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)10.6★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders79.78 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.4 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,884.31 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score71 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy79.78 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.118.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.9 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.97 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence5.99 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)7 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth23.4★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density5.82 per 1,000 people★1.01 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)21.7 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending48.27 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS1,4007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)3.56 %4.08 %★
Total Number of Doctors1.65★0.78
Underweight Children Under 51.5★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel8,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.03 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)8,00089,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)69.08 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.7★0.42
Life expectancy at birth82.8 years★71.98 years
Median age of population37.61 years★29 years
Population Change-16,424.3 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density100.47 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population2.75M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.760.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsB★A
Beer Consumption per Capita1.85 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)8.71 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate46 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate10.13 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)7.9 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.1 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age636,210.8 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)77.03 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate24.88 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth107.02 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.52★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate1.3727.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school10.18 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population520,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)173.39★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling10.32 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age19★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio24.45 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization69.26 %79.63 %★
Physician Density1.88 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-1.06 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums-2.4 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio18.62★30.33
Total deaths21,474.8 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)56.79 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.32 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-21,909.6 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate7.75 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.61 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population69.1 millions★56.57 millions

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.69★0.37
Airports3573★
Heliports949★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita5.92B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇦🇱 Albania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate2.75 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Albania vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 23.8 times as many people as Albania (65.49 million vs 2.75 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 13.2 times the size of Albania's ($424.75 billion vs $32.19 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Albania is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $11,701 in Albania vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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