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Geo Factbook

Algeria vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 169 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Algeria
dza
Leads on 73 of 169 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 86 of 169 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 36% more people than Algeria (65.49 million vs 48.06 million). South Africa's economy is 30% larger than Algeria's ($424.75 billion vs $327.02 billion GDP).

Comparing Algeria and South Africa: South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against Algeria (2.08); South Africa leads on Oil Exports (54,930) against Algeria (1.69); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Algeria (18,000). Across 169 compared metrics, Algeria wins on 73 and South Africa wins on 86.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration13.32 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)77.42 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)76.91 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 77% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed13.32 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score44.64 points75.71 points★
Radios7.117★
Televisions3.16★
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

60 metrics
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country24.99B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars327.02B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)41.1 %★14.07 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate35.29 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)8 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index54.859.6★
Electricity Consumption55.96207.1★
Electricity Exports641★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels96★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants11
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables210★
Electricity Imports257★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity19.2750.02★
Electricity Production66.89234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)61.84 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate15.7 %55.4 %★
Gini Index Coefficient27.663★
Gross Fixed Investment32.3★19.5
Gross National Saving37.8★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage3.95 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries15,882.71 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.9 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate1.42 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)8 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption41.28★5.07
Natural Gas Exports53.88★0
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production93.5906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves4.5★0
Oil Consumption312,000553,000★
Oil Exports1.6954,930★
Oil Imports18,180521,400★
Oil Production2.08192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves12.215★
Population Below Poverty Line5.5 people★55.5 people
Public Debt27.5★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.48 %0.76 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.3 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends7.16 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption405,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports578,800★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports82,930195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production627,900★487,100
Remittances0.8★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million821.67 researchers★516.54 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.48 USD0.76 USD★
Taxes and Other Revenues32.3★26.11
Top Exporting Countries53.47B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.46 %0.58 %★
Total Number of Billionaires17★
Tourism Contribution to GDP1.09 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)1.09 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate11.5 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate40.78 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate29.44 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-4.64M★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-674 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature24.75 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions163.66★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution65.33 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionthe vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coastthe 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 Adaptation4.73 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage4.7 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country1.52 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources11.6751.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species15 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.7 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)29.3985.66★
Agricultural land412,709.6 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km2.38M★1.21M
Coastline Length (km)998 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita176.11 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land13,81916,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country28.6 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions58★9
Corruption Perception Index34 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score34 index41 index★
Independence531★
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.3610.94★
Prison Population Rate155 per 100,000★288 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception34★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water69.03 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults24.7 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate94 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)17.5★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.48 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.88 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita610.41 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score70 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.48 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.1%18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.9 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.71 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence7.2 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0 cases per 1,000★0.11 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)62 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density2.51 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)27.4 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending45 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS18,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors1.66★0.79
Underweight Children Under 52.7★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel139,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)8.83 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)326,000★89,000

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)51.62 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.54★0.42
Life expectancy at birth78.58 years★71.98 years
Median age of population28.82 years29 years★
Population Change575,769 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density20.21 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population48.06M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.210.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA
Beer Consumption per Capita0.26 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)19.62 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate53.6 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate18.84 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)4.39 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.6 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age11.60M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)67.26 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate13.32 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.29 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.320.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate13.2927.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school6.88 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population2.9 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)170.07★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling8.18 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age19★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio10.12 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization81.25 %★79.63 %
Physician Density1.66 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.47 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums5.28 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio23.84★30.33
Total deaths217,451.2 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)38.89 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.62 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-37,047.8 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate19.16 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.03 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population37.12 millions39.64 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.190.37★
Airports95573★
Civil Air Travel4290★
Heliports1149★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita216.98M USD5.96B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇩🇿 Algeria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate3 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Algeria vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 36% more people than Algeria (65.49 million vs 48.06 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 30% larger than Algeria's ($424.75 billion vs $327.02 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

They are about equally rich per person: GDP per capita is about $6,805 in Algeria vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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