Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Bahrain vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 170 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Bahrain
bhr
Leads on 76 of 170 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 83 of 170 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 39.0 times as many people as Bahrain (65.49 million vs 1.68 million). South Africa's economy is 7.8 times the size of Bahrain's ($424.75 billion vs $54.45 billion GDP).

Comparing Bahrain and South Africa: Bahrain leads on Major Urban Areas Population (709,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Bahrain leads on Televisions (275,000) against South Africa (6); Bahrain leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (913,300) against South Africa (27.77). Across 170 compared metrics, Bahrain wins on 76 and South Africa wins on 83.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 63 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration16.99 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)100 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)100 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 100% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed16.99 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score30.24 points75.71 points★
Radios338,000★17
Televisions275,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

63 metrics
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country138.16M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars54.45B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)28.42 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume12.70M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate82.32 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)1.75 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)5.33 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends0 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index76★59.6
Electricity Consumption26.11207.1★
Electricity Exports213★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels100★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports276★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity3.9350.02★
Electricity Production26.81234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)554.2 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate44.85 %55.4 %★
Gross Fixed Investment19.9★19.5
Gross National Saving19.8★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage25.79 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries60,669.63 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate-0.14 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)0.9 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption15.89★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production15.89906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves92.03★0
Oil Consumption47,000553,000★
Oil Exports239,900★54,930
Oil Imports213,000521,400★
Oil Production46,430192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves124.6★15
Population Below Poverty LineNA55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)26.53 % of GDP★12.02 % of GDP
Public Debt111.676.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.1 %0.71 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends15.25 %★3.67 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption61,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports245,300★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports14,530195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production274,500487,100★
Remittances00.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million384.87 researchers427.64 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.1 USD0.71 USD★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)2.82 %★23.26 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)2.82 % of GDP23.26 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues2.826★
Top Exporting Countries41.30B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)5.72 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP5.65 %★3.54 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)5.65 %★3.54 %
Unemployment Rate1.2 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate70.43 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate5.42 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)216,764★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate480 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature26.47 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions47.82★446.7
Continental Shelfnot specific;200
Global Precipitation Distribution42.61 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionsmallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraqthe 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 Adaptation13.87 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage11.7 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.11 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources116★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species3 species★33 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization38.44 %★1.94 %
Agricultural land81 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km8001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)161 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita0 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land4016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country64.01 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions49★
Corruption Perception Index53 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score53 index★41 index
Independence1531★
LGBT Rights Index Score0.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate177 per 100,000★310 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception5341★
Suffrage Participation Rate20★18

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water98.9 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults24.8 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate99 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)99.1696.24★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)22.1★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders81.42 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.53 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita108.93 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score78 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy81.42 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.1 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.7 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.76 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence12.44 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)17 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density2.65 per 1,000 people★1.01 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)29.8 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending28.66 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS<500 (2017 est.)7.8
Total Number of Doctors0.690.78★
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel8,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)3.11 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)19,00089,000★

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)57.01 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.7★0.42
Life expectancy at birth83.55 years★71.98 years
Median age of population34.46 years★29 years
Population Change39,245.9 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density2,143.13 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population1.68M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.20.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.55 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)12.08 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate12.03 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)2.86 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)1.9 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age373,101.9 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)84.33 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate16.99 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.8 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.30.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate913,300★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school10.24 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population709,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)167.74★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling8.21 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1518★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio4.7 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization98.03 %★79.63 %
Physician Density0.74 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.79 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio11.73★30.33
Total deaths3,345.3 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)44.77 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.77 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration23,202 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate5.84 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.73 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population18.45 millions53.77 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.27★0.37
Airports3573★
Civil Air Travel2790★
Heliports849★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita4.23B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇧🇭 Bahrain🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate4.25 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Bahrain vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 39.0 times as many people as Bahrain (65.49 million vs 1.68 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 7.8 times the size of Bahrain's ($424.75 billion vs $54.45 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Bahrain is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $32,416 in Bahrain vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More Bahrain comparisons

More South Africa comparisons