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Belize vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 158 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Belize
blz
Leads on 68 of 158 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 81 of 158 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 153 times as many people as Belize (65.49 million vs 428,777). South Africa's economy is 109 times the size of Belize's ($424.75 billion vs $3.89 billion GDP).

Comparing Belize and South Africa: South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against Belize (36); Belize leads on Radios (133,000) against South Africa (17); Belize leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (190,000) against South Africa (27.77). Across 158 compared metrics, Belize wins on 68 and South Africa wins on 81.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 59 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 6 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 36 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇿 Belize🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration9.75 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★3.12 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)80.01 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)72.36 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 72% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed9.75 Mbps★3.12 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score68.32 points75.71 points★
Radios133,000★17
Televisions41,000★6
Waterways825NA

Economy

59 metrics
Metric🇧🇿 Belize🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country269.81M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars3.89B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)19.79 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume149,331 tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate67.97 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)9.58 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)9.46 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.7 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index55.559.6★
Electricity Consumption453★207.1
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels5185★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants27★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables22★10
Electricity Imports243★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity198,000★50.02
Electricity Production280★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)30.75 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate49.32 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-8.59 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap-8.59 %★9.52 %
Gross Fixed Investment26.4★19.5
Gross National Saving11.316.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage0.16 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries12,788.84 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.8 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate1.06 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.3 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption7,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports7,326521,400★
Oil Production4,252192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves6.715★
Population Below Poverty Line41 people★55.5 people
Public Debt9976.2★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)8.2 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends7.34 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption4,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports4,161195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production36487,100★
Remittances4.4★0.2
Tax Burden (% of GDP)21.35 %★24.77 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)21.35 % of GDP24.77 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues21.326★
Top Exporting Countries1.77B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.01 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires17★
Unemployment Rate7 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate59.1 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate19.32 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇧🇿 Belize🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)29,576★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-7,531.98 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature26.1 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions662,000446.7★
Global Precipitation Distribution1,620.04 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionapproximately 25% to 30% of the population lives in the former capital, Belize City; over half of the overall population is rural; population density is slightly higher in the north and eastthe 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 Adaptation37.24 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage37.3 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country7.51 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources21.7351.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species10 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇧🇿 Belize🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.94 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)211★85.66
Agricultural land1,948 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km22,8101.21M★
Coastline Length (km)386 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita285.36 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land3516,700★

Government

6 metrics
Metric🇧🇿 Belize🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country31.66 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions69★
Independence2131★
LGBT Rights Index Score1.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate302 per 100,000260 per 100,000★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇧🇿 Belize🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults27.5 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate84 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)57.81★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)14.1★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders73.74 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.68 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita643.41 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score70 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy73.74 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.1 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.12 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence11.56 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0.01 cases per 1,000★1.63 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)67 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density2.32 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)24.1 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending26.78 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS3,8007.8★
Total Number of Doctors1.09★0.74
Underweight Children Under 54.6★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇿 Belize🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel2,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)2,00089,000★

People and Society

36 metrics
Metric🇧🇿 Belize🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)58.54 %★33.25 %
Life expectancy at birth78.06 years★71.98 years
Median age of population27.28 years29 years★
Population Change6,095.3 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density18.88 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population428,776.5 persons65.49M persons★
Beer Consumption per Capita3.15 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)17.44 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate51.4 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate18.05 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)4.87 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.6 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age120,877.65 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.08 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate9.75 %★3.12 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.93 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.49★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate190,000★27.77
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population23,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)168.73★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling10.71 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio7.11 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization59.52 %79.63 %★
Physician Density1.09 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.47 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums15.72 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio20.44★30.33
Total deaths1,978.5 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)56.89 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.09 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration127.6 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate9.67 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.93 %1.34 %★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇿 Belize🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)3.73★0.37
Airports27573★
Civil Air Travel290★
Heliports549★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇿 Belize🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita818.25M USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Belize vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 153 times as many people as Belize (65.49 million vs 428,777). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 109 times the size of Belize's ($424.75 billion vs $3.89 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Belize is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $9,073 in Belize vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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