Cook Islands vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 90 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

South Africa has 5,117 times as many people as Cook Islands (65.49 million vs 12,797).

Comparing Cook Islands and South Africa: South Africa leads on Female population of reproductive age (18.20 million persons) against Cook Islands (2,624 persons); South Africa leads on Total population (65.49 million persons) against Cook Islands (12,797 persons); Cook Islands leads on Total deaths (132.60 persons) against South Africa (540,583 persons). Across 90 compared metrics, Cook Islands wins on 26 and South Africa wins on 49.

  • Communications: 4 metrics compared
  • Economy: 34 metrics compared
  • Environment: 9 metrics compared
  • Geography: 3 metrics compared
  • Government: 5 metrics compared
  • Health: 9 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 23 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 2 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

4 metrics
Metric🇨🇰 Cook Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Internet Userspercent of population: 64.8% (2021 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Radios14,000★17
Televisions4,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

34 metrics
Metric🇨🇰 Cook Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country8.67M $14.21B $★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Electricity Consumption31.62207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7985★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables21★10
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity14,000★50.02
Electricity Production34234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)0 USD per capita98.47 USD per capita★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage0.51 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap0.51 %★9.52 %
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1 %6.12 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)10.6 %4.4 %★
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption1,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports464521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty LineNA55.5 people
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)10.5 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption600621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports611195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Taxes and Other Revenues29★23.3
Unemployment Rate13.1 %★33.56 %

Environment

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇰 Cook Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3,502★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature24.5 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions103,000446.7★
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution1,503.66 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionmost of the population is found on the island of Rarotongathe 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 Country0 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources051.35★

Geography

3 metrics
Metric🇨🇰 Cook Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0 %1.94 %★
Coastline Length (km)120 km2,798 km★
Irrigated LandNA16,700

Government

5 metrics
Metric🇨🇰 Cook Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country35.1 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisionsnone9
Independence431★
Prison Population Rate229 per 100,000★291 per 100,000
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇰 Cook Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults32.7 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.66 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Coverage Index Score75 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)0 %★118 %
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)55.9 %28.3 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDSNA7.8
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

People and Society

23 metrics
Metric🇨🇰 Cook Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)50.88 %★33.25 %
Life expectancy at birth79.71 years★71.98 years
Median age of population38.03 years★29 years
Population Change-485.5 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density53.22 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population12,797 persons65.49M persons★
Birth Rate (%)11.85 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Death Rate (%)9.48 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.4 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age2,623.9 persons18.20M persons★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.81 male/female★103.52 male/female
Labor Force Participation Rate6,820★22.4
Mean Male Height (cm)174.77★166.68
Old-Age Dependency Ratio20.7 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization0 %79.63 %★
Physician Density1.67 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-2.15 %1.06 %★
Total deaths132.6 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)59.9 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.98 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-472.2 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate6 per live births★28.89 per live births

Transportation

2 metrics
Metric🇨🇰 Cook Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Airports10573★
Civil Air Travelno major transport aircraft90

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇨🇰 Cook Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita43.00M USD2.19B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Cook Islands vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Cook Islands or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 5,117 times as many people as Cook Islands (65.49 million vs 12,797). Data for 2026.

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