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Brazil vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 179 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Brazil
bra
Leads on 119 of 179 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 49 of 179 metrics

Summary

Brazil has 3.3 times as many people as South Africa (213.63 million vs 65.49 million). Brazil's economy is 6.3 times the size of South Africa's ($2.67 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing Brazil and South Africa: South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (621,000) against Brazil (2.96); South Africa leads on Oil Consumption (553,000) against Brazil (2.65); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against Brazil (2.81). Across 179 compared metrics, Brazil wins on 119 and South Africa wins on 49.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration24.08 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)84.46 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)84.15 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 84% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed24.08 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score63.8 points75.71 points★
Radios71★17
Televisions36.5★6
Waterways50,000NA

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country183.08B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars2.67T $★424.75B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)16.98 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume235.12M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate86.38 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)7 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue0.012.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)46.92 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends34 %★28 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.5 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.159.6★
Electricity Consumption509.1★207.1
Electricity Exports219★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels1785★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants64★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels14★
Electricity from Other Renewables18★10
Electricity Imports41.31★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity150.8★50.02
Electricity Production567.9★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)48.89 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate61.51 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage10.46 %★9.52 %
Gender Wage Gap10.46 %9.52 %★
Gini Index Coefficient5263★
Gross Fixed Investment18.919.5★
Gross National Saving1516.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage34.01 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries20,024.7 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.3 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate5.02 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.1 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption34.35★5.07
Natural Gas Exports134.5★0
Natural Gas Imports10.51★4.16
Natural Gas Production23.96906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves377.4★0
Number of AI Patents Filed107 patents★22 patents
Oil Consumption2.65553,000★
Oil Exports699,000★54,930
Oil Imports720,000★521,400
Oil Production2.75192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves12.8615★
Population Below Poverty Line4.2 people★55.5 people
Public Debt8376.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.19 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.4 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends37.46 %★7.68 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption2.96621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports279,000★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports490,400★195,200
Refined Petroleum Products Production2.81487,100★
Remittances0.20.2
Researchers in R&D per Million903.2 researchers★427.64 researchers
Robotics Research Funding1.19 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)4.74★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)15.41 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)15.41 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues1426★
Top Exporting Countries392.11B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.41 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires70★7
Unemployment Rate7.7 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate63.14 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate13.98 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-980,384★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-3.26M %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature25.16 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions437.77★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution1,608.62 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionthe vast majority of people live along or near the Atlantic coast in the east; the population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of S o Paolo, Bras lia, and Rio de Janeirothe 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 Adaptation30.75 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage30.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country645.6 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources8.6551.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species97 species33 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.64 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)171.92★85.66
Agricultural land2.37M sq. km★963,410 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km8.36M★1.21M
Coastline Length (km)7,491 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita3,259.26 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land91,833★16,700

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country37.95 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions26★9
Corruption Perception Index34 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score34 index41 index★
Independence731★
LGBT Rights Index Score8.6510.94★
Prison Population Rate381 per 100,000259 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception34★41
Suffrage Participation Ratevoluntary between 16 to 18 years of age, over 70, and if illiterate; compulsory between 18 to 70 years of age note: military conscripts by law cannot vote18

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water88.62 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults26.3 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate93 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)36.76★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)10.6★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.02 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.62 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita2,438.16 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score84 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.9 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.02 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.6 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.1 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.59 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence8.7 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate3.75 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)67 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density4.32 per 1,000 people★1.09 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.1 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending26.23 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS930,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People4 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)4.26 %★4.01 %
Total Number of Doctors2.19★0.78
Underweight Children Under 53.5★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel367,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.05 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)762,000★89,000

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)55.24 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.56★0.42
Life expectancy at birth80.44 years★71.98 years
Median age of population35.25 years★29 years
Population Change856,607.6 persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density25.56 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population213.63M persons★65.49M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.85★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsA-B★A
Beer Consumption per Capita5.05 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)13.04 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate80.5 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate12.13 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)7.07 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.6 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age55.29M persons★18.20M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)72.58 %★29.68 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate24.08 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.21 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.450.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate106.79★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school7.91 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population22.62 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)173.55★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling8 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio15.31 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.8 %★79.63 %
Physician Density2.36 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.58 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums13.19 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio20.59★30.33
Total deaths1.41M persons540,582.7 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)72.6 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.59 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-225,796.9 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate13.14 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.7 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population76.33 millions★53.77 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.46★0.37
Airports5,297★573
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel198★90
Heliports1,871★49

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita7.36B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate14.5 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Brazil vs South Africa

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

Brazil. Brazil has 3.3 times as many people as South Africa (213.63 million vs 65.49 million). Data for 2026.

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

Brazil. Brazil's economy is 6.3 times the size of South Africa's ($2.67 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Brazil is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $12,504 in Brazil vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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