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Curaçao vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 99 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Curaçao
cuw
Leads on 43 of 99 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 39 of 99 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 353 times as many people as Curaçao (65.49 million vs 185,493). South Africa's economy is 104 times the size of Curaçao's ($424.75 billion vs $4.08 billion GDP).

Comparing Curaçao and South Africa: South Africa leads on Population Change (673,270 persons) against Curaçao (14.80 persons); Curaçao leads on Major Urban Areas Population (144,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Curaçao leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (73,010) against South Africa (22.40). Across 99 compared metrics, Curaçao wins on 43 and South Africa wins on 39.

  • Communications: 5 metrics compared
  • Economy: 40 metrics compared
  • Environment: 7 metrics compared
  • Geography: 5 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 6 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 28 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 2 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

5 metrics
Metric🇨🇼 Curaçao🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration31.51 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)68.13 %★56.17 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)68.13 %★56.17 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 68% (2017 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed31.51 Mbps★3.41 Mbps

Economy

40 metrics
Metric🇨🇼 Curaçao🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars4.08B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)41.07 %★16.17 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)NA% (31 December 2010)5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)14.5 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends22 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)NA8.3 % of GDP
Electricity Consumption968★207.1
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Production1.79234.5★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage7.95 %10 %★
Gender Wage Gap7.95 %★10 %
Gross Fixed Investment41.8★19.6
Highest GDP per Capita Countries28,762.06 USD★13,597.65 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.3 %★-0.15 %
Inflation Rate2.62 %★4.1 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.6 %★4.4 %
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption72,000553,000★
Oil Exports211,100★54,930
Oil Imports291,700521,400★
Oil Production531192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Private Investment (% of GDP)31.01 % of GDP★13.07 % of GDP
Public Debt33.2★53
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.2 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption70,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports167,500★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports45,800195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production189,800487,100★
Remittances5.4★0.2
Taxes and Other Revenues16.623.3★
Top Exporting Countries1.93B USD111.43B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)4.35 %★0.58 %
Unemployment Rate13 %★33.56 %

Environment

7 metrics
Metric🇨🇼 Curaçao🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)84,705★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %87,566.02 %★
Population Distributionlargest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwestthe 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 Adaptation16.84 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage16.5 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Water ResourcesNA51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species3 species★33 species

Geography

5 metrics
Metric🇨🇼 Curaçao🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization23.93 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)7985.66★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km4441.21M★
Coastline Length (km)364 km2,798 km★
Irrigated LandNA16,700

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇨🇼 Curaçao🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Administrative Divisionsnone (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: Curacao is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three are the Netherlands, Aruba, and Sint Maarten9
Independencenone (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)31
Prison Population Rate236 per 100,000★291 per 100,000
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

6 metrics
Metric🇨🇼 Curaçao🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)13.4★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.99 years★66.31 years
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.99 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
People Living With HIV/AIDSNA7.8
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

People and Society

28 metrics
Metric🇨🇼 Curaçao🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)51.79 %★33.25 %
Life expectancy at birth81.56 years★71.98 years
Median age of population39.01 years★29 years
Population Change14.8 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density437.63 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population185,492.5 persons65.49M persons★
Birth Rate (%)12.71 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate7.2 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)8.91 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)7.4 % of GDP★6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age42,501 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)32.47 %★21.9 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate31.51 %★3.41 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.28 male/female★103.52 male/female
Labor Force Participation Rate73,010★22.4
Major Urban Areas Population144,000 people★10.32 people
Military Service Age and Obligationno conscription(2010)18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio23.78 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization94.76 %★79.63 %
Physician DensityNA0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.25 %1.06 %★
Total deaths1,868.7 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)54.32 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.07 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration483.1 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate9.38 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.23 %1.34 %★

Transportation

2 metrics
Metric🇨🇼 Curaçao🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)3.69★0.37
Airports1573★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇨🇼 Curaçao🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita1.03B USD5.96B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇨🇼 Curaçao🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate4.5 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Curaçao vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 353 times as many people as Curaçao (65.49 million vs 185,493). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 104 times the size of Curaçao's ($424.75 billion vs $4.08 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Curaçao is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $21,977 in Curaçao vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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