Bosnia and Herzegovina vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 167 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

South Africa has 21.0 times as many people as Bosnia and Herzegovina (65.49 million vs 3.12 million). South Africa's economy is 12.4 times the size of Bosnia and Herzegovina's ($424.75 billion vs $34.21 billion GDP).

Comparing Bosnia and Herzegovina and South Africa: Bosnia and Herzegovina leads on Radios (940,000) against South Africa (17); Bosnia and Herzegovina leads on Major Urban Areas Population (346,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against Bosnia and Herzegovina (59). Across 167 compared metrics, Bosnia and Herzegovina wins on 77 and South Africa wins on 78.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 8 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration29.39 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)86.1 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)83.38 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 83% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed29.39 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score56.33 points75.71 points★
Radios940,000★17
TelevisionsNA6
WaterwaysNA km; large sections of the Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt, and debrisNA

Economy

60 metrics
Metric🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.23B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars34.21B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)27.48 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume25.91M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate77.46 %81.13 %★
Coal Revenue0.342.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.38 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.9 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index65.4★59.6
Electricity Consumption11.87207.1★
Electricity Exports6.0116.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4985★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants51★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports3.0810.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity4.6850.02★
Electricity Production16.99234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)91.23 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate52.5 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-6.24 %20 %★
Gender Wage Gap-6.24 %★20 %
Gini Index Coefficient3363★
Gross National Saving1116.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage28.63 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries21,178.23 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-2.4 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate6.11 %6.08 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.7 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.8 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption226.5★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports226.5★4.16
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption28,500553,000★
Oil Exports9654,930★
Oil Imports38,890521,400★
Oil Production59192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line16.9 people★55.5 people
Public Debt40.3★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.19 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.5 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends1.17 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption32,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports4,603105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports18,280195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances11★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million540.15 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.19 USD0.61 USD★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)20.22 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)20.22 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues19.126★
Top Exporting Countries12.10B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.2 %★-0.51 %
Unemployment Rate10.8 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate48.99 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate28.2 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-455,378★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate1,040.04 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature11.7 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions24.51★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution1,054.05 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionthe northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populatedthe 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 Adaptation11.16 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage9.5 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country11.57 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources37.551.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species5 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.38 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)156.36★85.66
Agricultural land7,252 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km51,2001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)20 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita958.74 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land3016,700★

Government

8 metrics
Metric🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country35.22 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions39★
Corruption Perception Index33 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score33 index41 index★
Independence131★
LGBT Rights Index Score5.2910.94★
Public Sector Corruption Perception33★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water86.4 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults26.4 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate69 %76 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)32.7★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)10.3★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders78.04 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.26 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita2,370.39 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score64 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.6 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy78.04 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density3.5 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.26 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence5.15 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)6 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth26.3★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density6.73 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)17.9 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending30.96 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS<500 (2018)7.8
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People9 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)6.12 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors2.58★0.78
Underweight Children Under 51.6★5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel11,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.73 %★0.74 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)11,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)63.52 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.46★0.42
Life expectancy at birth82.57 years★71.98 years
Median age of population46.07 years★29 years
Population Change-9,670.2 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density60.8 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population3.12M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.750.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsB★A
Beer Consumption per Capita4.2 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)6.88 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate45.8 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate7.72 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)12.29 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.2 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age639,071.55 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)57.65 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate29.39 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.63 male/female★103.52 male/female
Labor Force Participation Rate1.3627.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school6.07 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population346,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)180.87★166.68
Military Manpower at Military Age19★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio33.19 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization51.78 %79.63 %★
Physician Density2.58 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.67 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums-1.68 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio17.16★30.33
Total deaths35,783.2 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)47.82 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.5 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration2,453.8 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate5.56 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.32 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population59.32 millions★53.77 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.260.37★
Airports20573★
Civil Air TravelNA major transport aircraft90
Heliports349★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita2.02B USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Bosnia and Herzegovina vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Bosnia and Herzegovina or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 21.0 times as many people as Bosnia and Herzegovina (65.49 million vs 3.12 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Bosnia and Herzegovina or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 12.4 times the size of Bosnia and Herzegovina's ($424.75 billion vs $34.21 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Bosnia and Herzegovina or South Africa?▾

Bosnia and Herzegovina is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $10,978 in Bosnia and Herzegovina vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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