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Geo Factbook

Brazil vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 111 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Brazil
bra
Leads on 69 of 111 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 31 of 111 metrics

Summary

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 111 compared metrics, Brazil wins on 69 and South Africa wins on 31.

  • Communications: 6 metrics compared
  • Economy: 44 metrics compared
  • Environment: 6 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 9 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 30 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared

Communications

6 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)84.15 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 84% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score63.8 points75.71 points★
Radios71★17
Televisions36.5★6
Waterways50,000NA

Economy

44 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 $
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)7 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue0.012.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)46.92 %★10.38 %
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★
Gini Index Coefficient5263★
Gross Fixed Investment18.919.5★
Gross National Saving1516.1★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.3 %★-0.4 %
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
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★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.4 USD★0.6 USD
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
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)4.74★31.21
Taxes and Other Revenues1426★
Unemployment Rate7.7 %★33.2 %

Environment

6 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-980,384★3.23M
Carbon Dioxide Emissions437.77★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
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
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country645.6 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources8.6551.35★

Geography

6 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
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

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country37.95 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions26★9
Independence731★
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

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)36.76★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)10.6★7.2
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.9 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.6 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.1 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)67 %★118 %
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.1 %★28.3 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS930,0007.8★
Underweight Children Under 53.5★4.9

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇧🇷 Brazil🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)762,000★89,000

People and Society

30 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
Birth Rate (%)13.04 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate80.5 %★54.6 %
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
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
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
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 %★
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

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

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