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Geo Factbook

Congo vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 164 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Congo
cog
Leads on 64 of 164 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 93 of 164 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 9.9 times as many people as Congo (65.49 million vs 6.64 million). South Africa's economy is 23.3 times the size of Congo's ($424.75 billion vs $18.23 billion GDP).

Comparing Congo and South Africa: Congo leads on Radios (341,000) against South Africa (17); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Congo (110,000); Congo leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (591,500) against South Africa (50.02). Across 164 compared metrics, Congo wins on 64 and South Africa wins on 93.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 8 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇬 Congo🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration1.27 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)47.25 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)38.38 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 38% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed1.27 Mbps3.41 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score60.58 points75.71 points★
Radios341,000★17
Televisions33,000★6
Waterways1,120NA

Economy

60 metrics
Metric🇨🇬 Congo🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.40B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars18.23B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)26.84 %★14.07 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate55.58 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.25 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)14.6 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index39.559.6★
Electricity Consumption912★207.1
Electricity Exports22★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels6485★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants36★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports18★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity591,500★50.02
Electricity Production1.7234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)7.35 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate66.57 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient48.963★
Gross Fixed Investment45.2★19.5
Gross National Saving19.5★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage47.46 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries6,194.09 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.3 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate2.4 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.1 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption1.395.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production1.39906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves90.61★0
Oil Consumption11,000553,000★
Oil Exports211,800★54,930
Oil Imports2,832521,400★
Oil Production302,200★192,100
Oil Proved Reserves1.615★
Population Below Poverty Line40.9 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)17.71 % of GDP★11.36 % of GDP
Public Debt128.776.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.38 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.6 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption17,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports5,766105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports7,162195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production15,760487,100★
Remittances0.3★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million126.97 researchers444.16 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.38 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)54.4542.11★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)6.51 %★25.95 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)6.51 % of GDP25.95 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues6.526★
Top Exporting Countries8.30B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.84 %★0.58 %
Unemployment Rate19.7 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate67.83 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate40.5 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇨🇬 Congo🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)565,497★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate14,000 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature25.29 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions2.66★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution1,480.61 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionthe population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville, as shown in this population distribution mapthe 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 Adaptation36.64 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage36.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country122 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources832★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species18 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇨🇬 Congo🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.26 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)198.8★85.66
Agricultural land106,838.2 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km341,5001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)169 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita1.34 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land2016,700★

Government

8 metrics
Metric🇨🇬 Congo🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country21.22 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions15★9
Corruption Perception Index23 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score23 index41 index★
Independence1531★
LGBT Rights Index Score0.0710.94★
Public Sector Corruption Perception23★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇨🇬 Congo🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water45.87 %69.61 %★
Average BMI for Adults22.3 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate72 %76 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)8.1★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.45 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita219.15 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score45 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy66 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate3.8 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.6 people/sq km2.8 people/sq km★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence11.93 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate221.02 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)241 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth19.822.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.12 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)9.6 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending27.97 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS110,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors0.170.79★
Underweight Children Under 512.35.5★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇨🇬 Congo🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel10,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.31 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)12,00089,000★

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇨🇬 Congo🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)50.14 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.43★0.42
Life expectancy at birth68.74 years71.98 years★
Median age of population18.67 years29 years★
Population Change156,545 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density19.42 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population6.64M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.260.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita5 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)28.34 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate30.1 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate30.42 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)4.64 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.61M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)8.32 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate1.27 %3.41 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth102.04 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.230.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate2.5627.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school5 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population2.64 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)167.45★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling6.74 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age20★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio5.19 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization91.92 %★79.63 %
Physician Density0.17 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.36 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums67.37 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio44.4432.94★
Total deaths39,514.9 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)56.57 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.99 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-1,953.8 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate36.62 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.73 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population72.56 millions★56.57 millions

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇨🇬 Congo🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.10.37★
Airports56573★
Civil Air Travel490★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇨🇬 Congo🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita10.70M USD2.19B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Congo vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 9.9 times as many people as Congo (65.49 million vs 6.64 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 23.3 times the size of Congo's ($424.75 billion vs $18.23 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $2,747 in Congo (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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