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Bahamas vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 155 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Bahamas
bhs
Leads on 73 of 155 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 70 of 155 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 162 times as many people as Bahamas (65.49 million vs 404,782). South Africa's economy is 22.2 times the size of Bahamas's ($424.75 billion vs $19.15 billion GDP).

Comparing Bahamas and South Africa: Bahamas leads on Major Urban Areas Population (280,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Bahamas leads on Radios (215,000) against South Africa (17); Bahamas leads on Natural Gas Imports (48,020) against South Africa (4.16). Across 155 compared metrics, Bahamas wins on 73 and South Africa wins on 70.

  • Communications: 8 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 21 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 2 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 31 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

8 metrics
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration25.27 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)92.47 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)94.82 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 95% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed25.27 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Radios215,000★17
Televisions67,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

60 metrics
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country42.76M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars19.15B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)26.81 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume893,482 tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.5 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.25 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends0 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index59.159.6★
Electricity Consumption1.65207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels100★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity577,000★50.02
Electricity Production1.78234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)104.41 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate81.39 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-2.12 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap-2.12 %★9.52 %
Gross Fixed Investment29.9★19.6
Gross National Saving11.416.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage4.09 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries36,244.05 USD★13,597.65 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)12.5 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate0.41 %★4.36 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)0.4 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption48,020★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports48,020★4.16
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption35,000553,000★
Oil Exportstransshipments of 41,610 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8454,930
Oil Imports70,990521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line9.3 people★55.5 people
Public Debt73.7★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.4 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends3.95 %7.42 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption20,040621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports19,150195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances0.4★0.2
Tax Burden (% of GDP)17.28 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)17.28 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues16.226★
Top Exporting Countries5.98B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.52 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP15.17 %★2.87 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)15.17 %★2.87 %
Unemployment Rate8.5 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate73.78 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate19.25 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)113,557★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature25.97 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions2.99★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution966.55 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionmost of the population lives in urban areas, with two thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is locatedthe 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 Adaptation34 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage34.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources700★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species5 species★33 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.43 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)39.885.66★
Agricultural land130 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km10,0101.21M★
Coastline Length (km)3,542 km★2,798 km
Irrigated Land1016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country56.99 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions31★9
Corruption Perception Index65 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score65 index★41 index
Independence1031★
LGBT Rights Index Score1.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate460 per 100,000286 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception6541★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

21 metrics
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults27.1 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate86 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)45.5★107.09
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)8.9★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders74.71 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.04 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita2,692.45 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score80 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy74.71 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.3 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density3 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.92 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence15.4 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)76 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density4.48 per 1,000 people★1.2 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)31.6 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending27.48 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS4,7007.8★
Total Number of Doctors1.9★0.78
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

2 metrics
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel2,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)2,00089,000★

People and Society

31 metrics
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)39.77 %★33.25 %
Life expectancy at birth80.11 years★71.98 years
Median age of population35.65 years★29 years
Population Change2,272.7 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density75.52 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population404,782 persons65.49M persons★
Beer Consumption per Capita2.53 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)13.1 %17.21 %★
Crude Birth Rate10.82 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)5.44 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)2.7 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age107,433.1 persons18.20M persons★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate25.27 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth102.63 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.62★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate237,100★27.77
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population280,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)172.75★166.68
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio16.35 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization82.54 %★79.63 %
Physician Density1.9 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.08 %★1.06 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio21.04★30.33
Total deaths3,193.3 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)55.26 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.36 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration1,164.7 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate12.08 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.44 %1.34 %★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)4.6★0.37
Airports54573★
Civil Air Travel1190★
Heliports949★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita5.54B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇧🇸 Bahamas🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate4 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Bahamas vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 162 times as many people as Bahamas (65.49 million vs 404,782). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 22.2 times the size of Bahamas's ($424.75 billion vs $19.15 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Bahamas is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $47,308 in Bahamas vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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