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Bhutan vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 162 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Bhutan
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Leads on 67 of 162 metrics
South Africa
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Leads on 86 of 162 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 81.7 times as many people as Bhutan (65.49 million vs 801,839). South Africa's economy is 130 times the size of Bhutan's ($424.75 billion vs $3.27 billion GDP).

Comparing Bhutan and South Africa: Bhutan leads on Major Urban Areas Population (203,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Bhutan leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (406,500) against South Africa (27.77); Bhutan leads on Radios (37,000) against South Africa (17). Across 162 compared metrics, Bhutan wins on 67 and South Africa wins on 86.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 metrics compared
  • Environment: 10 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇹 Bhutan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration2.92 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)91.28 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)88.43 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 88% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed2.92 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score32.62 points75.71 points★
Radios37,000★17
Televisions11,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

60 metrics
Metric🇧🇹 Bhutan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country530.68M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars3.27B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)45.27 %★15.39 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate33.67 %70.32 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)6 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)15 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index66★59.6
Electricity Consumption2.18207.1★
Electricity Exports5.7616.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels185★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants99★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports84★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity1.6350.02★
Electricity Production7.88234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)64.08 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate59.65 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage4.77 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap4.77 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient28.563★
Gross Fixed Investment46★19.6
Gross National Saving40.4★16.1
Highest GDP per Capita Countries16,743.87 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate3.56 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.8 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1 % of GDP1.7 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption1,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports1,549521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line12.4 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)35.54 % of GDP★12.02 % of GDP
Public Debt11176.2★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.9 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends8.34 %★7.68 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption3,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports3,120195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances3.6★0.2
Tax Burden (% of GDP)12.28 %★23.26 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)12.28 % of GDP23.26 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.326★
Top Exporting Countries855.30M USD126.84B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.08 %0.58 %★
Tourism Contribution to GDP9.52 %★3.7 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)9.52 %★3.7 %
Unemployment Rate2.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate64.82 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate17.05 %★59.93 %

Environment

10 metrics
Metric🇧🇹 Bhutan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)27,768★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-8,483.98 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature9.76 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions733,000446.7★
Global Precipitation Distribution2,741.29 mm★652.17 mm
Protected Land Area for Adaptation52.17 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage51.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country8.1 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources78★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species28 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇧🇹 Bhutan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.41 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)269.32★85.66
Agricultural land5,340 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km38,1401.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita0 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land32016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇹 Bhutan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country73.22 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions20★9
Corruption Perception Index72 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score72 index★41 index
Independence1731★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.3410.94★
Prison Population Rate145 per 100,000★288 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception7241★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇧🇹 Bhutan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water65.59 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults23.5 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate97 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)12★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders73.26 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.84 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita831.27 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score69 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy73.26 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.2 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.7 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.69 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence11.43 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0.02 cases per 1,000★0.48 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)47 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density2.05 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)6.4 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending25.46 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS1,3007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.550.79★
Underweight Children Under 58.74.9★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇧🇹 Bhutan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)6,00071,600★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇧🇹 Bhutan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)62.61 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.48★0.42
Life expectancy at birth75.85 years★71.98 years
Median age of population31.05 years★29 years
Population Change5,159.8 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density20.89 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population801,838.5 persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.40.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita4.06 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)15.05 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate12.53 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)5.75 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.8 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age224,451.5 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)15.16 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate2.92 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.44 male/female★103.52 male/female
Labor Force Participation Rate406,500★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school6.33 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population203,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)165.31166.68★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio8.82 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization32.87 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.55 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.93 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums43.64 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio4030.33★
Total deaths4,794.9 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)48.35 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.42 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration139.8 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate19.55 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.66 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population52.13 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇹 Bhutan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.41★0.37
Airports4573★
Civil Air Travel190★
Heliports849★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇹 Bhutan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita199.11M USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Bhutan vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 81.7 times as many people as Bhutan (65.49 million vs 801,839). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 130 times the size of Bhutan's ($424.75 billion vs $3.27 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $4,081 in Bhutan (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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