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Belarus vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

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

Belarus
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Leads on 81 of 174 metrics
South Africa
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Leads on 82 of 174 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 7.3 times as many people as Belarus (65.49 million vs 8.94 million). South Africa's economy is 5.1 times the size of Belarus's ($424.75 billion vs $83.45 billion GDP).

Comparing Belarus and South Africa: South Africa leads on Population living in slums (23.64 %) against Belarus (0.00 %); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Belarus (28,000); South Africa leads on LGBT Rights Index Score (10.94) against Belarus (-0.01). Across 174 compared metrics, Belarus wins on 81 and South Africa wins on 82.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 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🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration36.26 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)94.26 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)91.51 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 92% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed36.26 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score25.73 points75.71 points★
Radios3.0217★
Televisions2.526★
WaterwaysNA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systemsNA

Economy

65 metrics
Metric🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country6.76B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars83.45B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)25.84 %★14.07 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.16 %★69.22 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)14 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)9.66 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.6 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index74.3★59.6
Electricity Consumption31.72207.1★
Electricity Exports3.4816.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels96★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants11
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables310★
Electricity Imports6.3210.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity10.0450.02★
Electricity Production31.58234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)104.82 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate76.56 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage24.62 %★9.52 %
Gender Wage Gap24.62 %9.52 %★
Gini Index Coefficient24.463★
Gross Fixed Investment35.8★19.5
Gross National Saving24.5★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage36.27 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries29,666.21 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)6 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate6.6 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)5.8 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption17.7★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports17.53★4.16
Natural Gas Production59.46906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves2.83★0
Oil Consumption163,000553,000★
Oil Exports310,500★54,930
Oil Imports471,400521,400★
Oil Production31,010192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves198★15
Population Below Poverty Line4.8 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)32.64 % of GDP★15.38 % of GDP
Public Debt33.2★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.47 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends0.03 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption141,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports351,200★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports14,630195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production477,200487,100★
Remittances1.8★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million1,434.19 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.47 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)13.04 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)13.04 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.726★
Top Exporting Countries49.42B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.71 %★-0.51 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP1.9 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)1.9 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate3.4 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate62.75 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate9.18 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)82,352★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate26,470.12 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature8.52 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions46.71★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution751.7 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributiona fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populationsthe 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 Adaptation7.92 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.2 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country15.9 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources57.9★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species4 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.17 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)156.1★85.66
Agricultural land77,192 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km202,9831.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita349.07 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land26016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country3.27 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions69★
Corruption Perception Index33 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score33 index41 index★
Independence2531★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.0110.94★
Prison Population Rate345 per 100,000286 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception33★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water93.06 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults26.4 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate98 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)3.14★96.29
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)5.17.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders74.37 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.21 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita2,782.46 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score80 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.6 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy74.37 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.5 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density10.8 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita10.88 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence5.12 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)1 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth25.1★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density10.73 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)24.5 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending28.48 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS28,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People11 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors4.67★0.79
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel48,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.4 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)158,000★89,000

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)58.38 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.7★0.42
Life expectancy at birth80.15 years★71.98 years
Median age of population41.66 years★29 years
Population Change-43,103 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density44.02 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population8.94M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.060.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA-A★A
Beer Consumption per Capita2.3 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)8.16 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate52.6 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate7.03 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)13.21 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age2.00M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)78.45 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate36.26 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.8 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.360.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate4.8227.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school10.78 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population2.06 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)178.44★166.68
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio25.75 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization75.38 %79.63 %★
Physician Density4.72 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.44 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio17.57★30.33
Total deaths108,311.3 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.03 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.15 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration9,799.3 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate3.04 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.08 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population65.97 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.160.37★
Airports46573★
Civil Air TravelNA major transport aircraft90
Heliports449★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita661.53M USD2.19B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇧🇾 Belarus🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate9.25 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Belarus vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 7.3 times as many people as Belarus (65.49 million vs 8.94 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 5.1 times the size of Belarus's ($424.75 billion vs $83.45 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Belarus is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $9,336 in Belarus vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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