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Chile vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 180 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Chile
chl
Leads on 95 of 180 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 79 of 180 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 3.3 times as many people as Chile (65.49 million vs 19.96 million). South Africa's economy is 13% larger than Chile's ($424.75 billion vs $376.33 billion GDP).

Comparing Chile and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Chile (77,000); South Africa leads on Natural Gas Production (906.10) against Chile (1.22); South Africa leads on Coal Revenue (2.40) against Chile (0.01). Across 180 compared metrics, Chile wins on 95 and South Africa wins on 79.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 69 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration23.73 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)95.59 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)94.46 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 95% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed23.73 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score62.25 points75.71 points★
Radios5.1817★
Televisions3.156★
Waterways725NA

Economy

69 metrics
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country10.17B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars376.33B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)23.24 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume3.46M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate85.07 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3.35 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.012.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.6 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends25 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.1 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index72.6★59.6
Electricity Consumption73.22207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels5985★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants26★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables15★10
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity24.5350.02★
Electricity Production76.09234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)71.42 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate62.19 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage11.27 %★9.52 %
Gender Wage Gap11.27 %9.52 %★
Gini Index Coefficient4363★
Gross Fixed Investment23.9★19.5
Gross National Saving20.5★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage7.6 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries30,863.42 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.5 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate4.21 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.3 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.5 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption5.13★5.07
Natural Gas Exports277.5★0
Natural Gas Imports4.45★4.16
Natural Gas Production1.22906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves97.97★0
Number of AI Patents Filed1 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption302,700553,000★
Oil Exports52,39054,930★
Oil Imports305,100521,400★
Oil Production10,640192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves150★15
Population Below Poverty Line10.8 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)22.43 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt21★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.39 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.6 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends2.55 %5.86 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption354,500621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports7,359105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports166,400195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production216,200487,100★
Remittances00.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million707.06 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.39 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)8.6★47.91
Tax Burden (% of GDP)18.26 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)18.26 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues17.726★
Top Exporting Countries111.38B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)4.06 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires67★
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.31 %3.7 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.31 %3.7 %★
Unemployment Rate9.1 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate62.3 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate21.64 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)1.12M★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-4,883.98 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature9.48 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions83.06★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution1,414.91 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distribution90the 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 Adaptation21.6 sq km★9.6 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage21.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country140 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources923.06★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species18 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.61 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)219.27★85.66
Agricultural land92,857.8 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km742,831.61.21M★
Coastline Length (km)6,435 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita651.25 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land9,09416,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country64.47 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions16★9
Corruption Perception Index63 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score63 index★41 index
Independence1831★
LGBT Rights Index Score3.9510.94★
Prison Population Rate329 per 100,000260 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception6341★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water97.82 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27.8 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate93 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)17★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)12.2★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders81.36 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.28 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita4,190.32 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score84 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy81.36 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 Capita2.03 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence6.84 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)10 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth23.7★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density4.98 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending34.59 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS77,0007.8★
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)6.03 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors3.18★0.79
Underweight Children Under 50.5★5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel69,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.52 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)114,000★89,000

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)49.82 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.68★0.42
Life expectancy at birth84.18 years★71.98 years
Median age of population37.37 years★29 years
Population Change97,032.8 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density26.51 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population19.96M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.92★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsA-B★A
Beer Consumption per Capita3.48 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)8.81 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate76.3 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate8.72 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.79 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.9 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age4.99M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)114 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate23.73 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.16 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.65★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate10.0927.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.94 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother42 days★0 days
Major Urban Areas Population6.9 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)171.81★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling10.74 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age19★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio19.83 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization82.37 %★79.63 %
Physician Density3.33 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.46 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums6.18 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio18.38★30.33
Total deaths122,154.8 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)71.74 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.11 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration50,934 persons★39,599.6 persons
Under-five mortality rate6.39 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.68 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population59.17 millions★56.57 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.93★0.37
Airports379573★
Civil Air Travel2990★
Heliports115★49

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita4.54B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇨🇱 Chile🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate4.75 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Chile vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 3.3 times as many people as Chile (65.49 million vs 19.96 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 13% larger than Chile's ($424.75 billion vs $376.33 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Chile is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $18,859 in Chile vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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