Côte d'Ivoire vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 173 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

South Africa has 2.0 times as many people as Côte d'Ivoire (65.49 million vs 33.49 million). South Africa's economy is 4.4 times the size of Côte d'Ivoire's ($424.75 billion vs $97.39 billion GDP).

Comparing Côte d'Ivoire and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Côte d'Ivoire (380,000); Côte d'Ivoire leads on Major Urban Areas Population (231,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); South Africa leads on Malaria Incidence Rate (0.11 cases per 1,000) against Côte d'Ivoire (267.95 cases per 1,000). Across 173 compared metrics, Côte d'Ivoire wins on 53 and South Africa wins on 111.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration1.6 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)41.43 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)40.65 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 41% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed1.6 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score63.69 points75.71 points★
Radios2.2617★
Televisions1.096★
Waterways980NA

Economy

67 metrics
Metric🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country13.82B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars97.39B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)20.87 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume13.31M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate57.57 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.25 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)5.4 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends25 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index60.7★59.6
Electricity Consumption6.25207.1★
Electricity Exports872★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels6085★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants40★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports19★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity1.9150.02★
Electricity Production9.73234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)8.49 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate60.89 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage26.87 %★9.52 %
Gender Wage Gap26.87 %9.52 %★
Gini Index Coefficient35.363★
Gross Fixed Investment12.119.5★
Gross National Saving15.916.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage22.06 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries7,014.85 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)2.8 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate0.13 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.5 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.8 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption2.325.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production2.32906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves28.32★0
Oil Consumption25,000553,000★
Oil Exports70,800★54,930
Oil Imports85,190521,400★
Oil Production44,880192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves100★15
Population Below Poverty Line37.5 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)12.67 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt47★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.07 %0.75 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)6 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends6.55 %★3.28 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption51,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports31,450105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports7,405195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production69,360487,100★
Remittances1.3★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million63.99 researchers351.39 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.07 USD0.75 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)47.930.28★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)13.04 %★25.4 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)13.04 % of GDP25.4 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues13.226★
Top Exporting Countries22.67B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.58 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP1.5 %2.11 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)1.5 %2.11 %★
Unemployment Rate2.3 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate67.09 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate4.01 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)776,149★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-80,822.07 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature26.78 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions16.28★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution1,035.16 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionthe population is primarily located in the forested south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the northern savanna remains sparsely populated, with higher concentrations located along the 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 Adaptation22.82 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage22.9 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country37.84 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources84.14★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species34 species33 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.93 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)94.45★85.66
Agricultural land279,544.2 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km318,0001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)515 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita1,093.81 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land73016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country42.26 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions12★9
Corruption Perception Index45 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score45 index★41 index
Independence731★
LGBT Rights Index Score0.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate82 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4541★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water36.45 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults23.4 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate75 %76 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)57.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders62.11 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.26 per 1,000 births1.87 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita316.39 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score46 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy62.11 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.9 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.4 people/sq km2.8 people/sq km★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence18.29 %16.64 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate267.95 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)359 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth19.822.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.69 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)10.3 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending31.99 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS380,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors0.160.79★
Underweight Children Under 513.64.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel27,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.77 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)27,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)60.9 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.43★0.42
Life expectancy at birth65.28 years71.98 years★
Median age of population18.43 years29 years★
Population Change793,593.2 persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density105.26 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population33.49M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.580.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita1 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)29.87 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate27.8 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate31.56 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.93 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.4 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age8.23M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)11.16 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate1.6 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth101.94 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.260.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate12.627.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.91 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population231,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.53166.68★
Mean Years of Schooling6.05 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio4.57 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization69.27 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.17 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.33 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums46.15 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio42.0530.33★
Total deaths243,825.9 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)47.27 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate4.11 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration10,956.9 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate63.44 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.47 %★1.34 %

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.040.37★
Airports29573★
Civil Air Travel1490★
Heliports149★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita365.57M USD4.96B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Côte d'Ivoire vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Côte d'Ivoire or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 2.0 times as many people as Côte d'Ivoire (65.49 million vs 33.49 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Côte d'Ivoire or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 4.4 times the size of Côte d'Ivoire's ($424.75 billion vs $97.39 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Côte d'Ivoire or South Africa?▾

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $2,908 in Côte d'Ivoire (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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