Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Congo, Democratic Republic of the vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 166 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
cod
Leads on 59 of 166 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 100 of 166 metrics

Summary

Congo, Democratic Republic of the has 78% more people than South Africa (116.39 million vs 65.49 million). South Africa's economy is 4.9 times the size of Congo, Democratic Republic of the's ($424.75 billion vs $87.12 billion GDP).

Comparing Congo, Democratic Republic of the and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Congo, Democratic Republic of the (510,000); South Africa leads on Malaria Incidence Rate (0.11 cases per 1,000) against Congo, Democratic Republic of the (321.89 cases per 1,000); South Africa leads on Dam capacity per capita (464.70 cubic meters per inhabitant) against Congo, Democratic Republic of the (0.44 cubic meters per inhabitant). Across 166 compared metrics, Congo, Democratic Republic of the wins on 59 and South Africa wins on 100.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 62 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: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.03 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)19.67 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)30.55 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 31% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.03 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score42.31 points75.71 points★
Radios18.03★17
Televisions6.48★6
Waterways15,000NA

Economy

62 metrics
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country12.79B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars87.12B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)32.54 %★14.07 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate39.21 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)20 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)20.62 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends35 %★28 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index36.259.6★
Electricity Consumption7.43207.1★
Electricity Exports422★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels285★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants98★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports20★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity2.5950.02★
Electricity Production9.05234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)1.31 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate62.31 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage21.92 %★11 %
Gender Wage Gap21.92 %11 %★
Gini Index Coefficient44.763★
Gross Fixed Investment22.3★19.6
Gross National Saving11.516.1★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries1,640.57 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)10.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate2.89 %★6.6 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)41.5 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves991.1★0
Oil Consumption13,000553,000★
Oil Exports11,09054,930★
Oil Imports13,100521,400★
Oil Production21,000192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves180★15
Population Below Poverty Line63 people55.5 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)12.89 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt16★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.41 %0.73 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)6.7 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends-3.53 %0.6 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption21,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports21,140195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances4.9★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million10.11 researchers466.56 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.41 USD0.73 USD★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)10.66 %★26.02 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)10.66 % of GDP26.02 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues11.426★
Top Exporting Countries34.60B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.05 %★-0.51 %
Unemployment Rate4.6 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate64.31 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate7.85 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)23,365★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-282,893.75 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature24.87 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions5.88★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution1,382.64 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionurban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated,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 Adaptation15.24 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage14.9 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country421 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources1.2851.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species48 species33 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.03 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)231★85.66
Agricultural land353,026.4 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km2.27M★1.21M
Coastline Length (km)37 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita0.44 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land11016,700★

Government

8 metrics
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country7.01 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions26★9
Corruption Perception Index20 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score20 index41 index★
Independence3031★
LGBT Rights Index Score1.0710.94★
Public Sector Corruption Perception20★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water11.87 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults21.3 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate55 %76 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.7★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders62.07 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.59 per 1,000 births1.87 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita72.88 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score41 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy62.07 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.7 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.8 people/sq km2.8 people/sq km★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence10.16 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate321.89 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)427 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth20.222.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.17 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)6.7 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending38 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS510,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors0.210.79★
Underweight Children Under 5254.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel134,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.38 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)134,000★89,000

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)53.64 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.370.42★
Life expectancy at birth65.27 years71.98 years★
Median age of population15.8 years29 years★
Population Change3.73M persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density51.24 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population116.39M persons★65.49M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.510.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.46 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)38.8 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate28.1 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate40.89 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)7.37 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)2.8 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age26.01M persons★18.20M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)4.75 %27.59 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.03 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth101.55 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.20.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate38.55★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school4.28 years4.88 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population16.32 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.8★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling4.85 years10.47 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.03 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization73.91 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.21 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate3.09 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums79.99 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio33.230.33★
Total deaths929,383.4 persons540,582.7 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)46.81 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate5.85 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-10,974.9 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate69.2 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate4.02 %★1.34 %

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.010.37★
Airports273573★
Civil Air Travel4590★
Heliports149★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita244.70M USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇨🇩 Congo, Democratic Republic of the🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate13.5 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Congo, Democratic Republic of the vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Congo, Democratic Republic of the or South Africa?▾

Congo, Democratic Republic of the. Congo, Democratic Republic of the has 78% more people than South Africa (116.39 million vs 65.49 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Congo, Democratic Republic of the or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 4.9 times the size of Congo, Democratic Republic of the's ($424.75 billion vs $87.12 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Congo, Democratic Republic of the or South Africa?▾

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $748.56 in Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More Congo, Democratic Republic of the comparisons

More South Africa comparisons