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Bolivia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 166 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Bolivia
bol
Leads on 67 of 166 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 92 of 166 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 5.1 times as many people as Bolivia (65.49 million vs 12.75 million). South Africa's economy is 6.9 times the size of Bolivia's ($424.75 billion vs $61.51 billion GDP).

Comparing Bolivia and South Africa: Bolivia leads on Televisions (900,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Bolivia (17,000); Bolivia leads on Apple Import Volume (10.52 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes). Across 166 compared metrics, Bolivia wins on 67 and South Africa wins on 92.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 61 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration12.07 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)79.7 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)70.24 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 70% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed12.07 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score54.09 points75.71 points★
Radios5.2517★
Televisions900,000★6
Waterways10,000NA

Economy

61 metrics
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country6.26B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars61.51B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)17.95 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume10.52M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate56.85 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)2.5 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)8.11 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index51.759.6★
Electricity Consumption7.79207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7685★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants18★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables710★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity2.7650.02★
Electricity Production8.95234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)29.34 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate74.85 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient40.963★
Gross Fixed Investment21★19.5
Gross National Saving15.716.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage6.93 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries11,000.53 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate19.52 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)5.1 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption3.175.07★
Natural Gas Exports15.46★0
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production18.69906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves295.9★0
Oil Consumption62,000553,000★
Oil Exports5,62154,930★
Oil Imports17,330521,400★
Oil Production53,740192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves465★15
Population Below Poverty Line39 people★55.5 people
Public Debt49★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.06 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1.4 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends-8.11 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption83,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports9,686105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports20,620195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production65,960487,100★
Remittances3.2★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million63.06 researchers454.8 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.06 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)5.6★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)16.96 %★24.81 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)16.96 % of GDP24.81 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues39.9★26.11
Top Exporting Countries11.76B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.96 %★-0.51 %
Unemployment Rate3.1 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate78.63 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate5.01 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)4.09M3.23M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-239,760.16 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature20.53 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions21.55★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution1,481.62 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributiona high-altitude plain in the west between two cordillera of the Andes, known as the Altiplano, is the focal area for most of the population; a dense settlement pattern is also found in and around the city of Santa Cruz, located on the eastern side of the the 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 Adaptation30.9 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage30.9 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country130 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources574★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species24 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.25 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)131.26★85.66
Agricultural land393,685.2 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.08M1.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita46.83 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land2,97216,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country12.18 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions99
Corruption Perception Index28 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score28 index41 index★
Independence631★
LGBT Rights Index Score810.94★
Prison Population Rate147 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception28★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults25.3 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate67 %76 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)3.47.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders68.74 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.83 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita875.99 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score67 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy68.74 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.3 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.06 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence7.93 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate3.83 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)146 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth21.222.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.47 per 1,000 people★1.01 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)20.2 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending27.32 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS17,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors1.28★0.78
Underweight Children Under 53.4★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel34,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.21 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)71,00089,000★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)48.01 %★33.25 %
Life expectancy at birth73.97 years★71.98 years
Median age of population25.47 years29 years★
Population Change190,384.2 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density11.76 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population12.75M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.580.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA-A★A
Beer Consumption per Capita2.13 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)17.02 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate66.5 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate21.03 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.99 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age3.41M persons18.20M persons★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate12.07 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.72 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.350.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate6.8627.77★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.94 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)166.85★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling9.06 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age19★18
Military Service Age and Obligationvoluntary service for men and women 18-22 years of age; selective 12-month compulsory service for men, 18-22 (24 months of search and rescue service can be substituted for military service) (2025) note: as of 2024, women comprised about 11% of the Bolivia18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio8.63 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization72.65 %79.63 %★
Physician Density1.28 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.01 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums45.61 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio17★30.33
Total deaths68,683.1 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)55.08 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.46 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-2,478.8 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate38.22 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.81 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population86.53 millions★47.28 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.41★0.37
Airports201573★
Civil Air Travel5690★
Heliports349★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita881.07M USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇧🇴 Bolivia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate3.26 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Bolivia vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 5.1 times as many people as Bolivia (65.49 million vs 12.75 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 6.9 times the size of Bolivia's ($424.75 billion vs $61.51 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $4,824 in Bolivia (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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