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Denmark vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 177 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Denmark
dnk
Leads on 98 of 177 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 66 of 177 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 10.9 times as many people as Denmark (65.49 million vs 6.03 million). Denmark's economy is 7% larger than South Africa's ($452.74 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing Denmark and South Africa: Denmark leads on Apple Import Volume (42.56 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Denmark (6,700); South Africa leads on Natural Gas Production (906.10) against Denmark (4.84). Across 177 compared metrics, Denmark wins on 98 and South Africa wins on 66.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration43.39 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)99.77 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)98.78 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 100% (2024 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed43.39 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score86.93 points★75.71 points
Radios6.0217★
Televisions3.126★
Waterways417NA

Economy

65 metrics
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country5.67B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars452.74B $★424.75B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)23.21 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume42.56M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate98.65 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)2.84 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends22 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10.1 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index85.3★59.6
Electricity Consumption33.02207.1★
Electricity Exports9.9216.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4685★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables54★10
Electricity Imports14.98★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity14.3450.02★
Electricity Production29.84234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)98.51 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate79.85 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient28.363★
Gross Fixed Investment17.219.5★
Gross National Saving28.8★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage57.28 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries72,723.27 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)12 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate1.89 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.4 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3.2 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption3.125.07★
Natural Gas Exports2.24★0
Natural Gas Imports509.7★4.16
Natural Gas Production4.84906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves12.86★0
Number of AI Patents Filed11 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption167,500553,000★
Oil Exports266,700★54,930
Oil Imports173,900521,400★
Oil Production247,500★192,100
Oil Proved Reserves812★15
Population Below Poverty Line12.4 people★55.5 people
Public Debt35.3★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)2.87 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.7 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption158,500621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports133,700★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports109,700195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production183,900487,100★
Remittances0.4★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million9,037.47 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding2.87 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.24★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)33.36 %25.88 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)33.36 % of GDP★25.88 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues31.4★26
Top Exporting Countries301.42B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)4.3 %★0.58 %
Total Number of Billionaires9★7
Tourism Contribution to GDP1.83 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)1.83 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate5.6 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate64.94 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate11.74 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-462,022★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate1,970 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature9.82 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions29.92★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution722.99 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionpopulation centers tend to be along coastal areas, particularly in Copenhagen and the eastern side of the country's mainlandthe 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 Adaptation15.92 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage16.4 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.3 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources651.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species2 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization5.34 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)113.1★85.66
Agricultural land26,091.1 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km40,0001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)7,314 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita3.33 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land2,42016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country101.77 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisionsmetropolitan Denmark - 5 regions ( regioner , singular - region ); Hovedstaden (Capital), Midtjylland (Central Jutland), Nordjylland (North Jutland), Sjaelland (Zealand), Syddanmark (Southern Denmark)9
Corruption Perception Index90 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score90 index★41 index
Independenceca. 965 (unified and Christianized under Harald I GORMSSON); 5 June 1849 (became a parliamentary constitutional monarchy)31
LGBT Rights Index Score9.9210.94★
Prison Population Rate70 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception9041★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water99.92 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults26.2 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate94 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)12.81★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.47.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders82.25 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.2 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita7,479.72 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score85 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.5 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy82.25 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.1 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.6 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita3.5 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence4.81 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)4 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth29.1★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density12.02 per 1,000 people★1.01 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)19.7 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending13.98 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS6,7007.8★
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)7.96 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors4.5★0.78
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel15,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)3.25 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)15,00089,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)53.84 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.77★0.42
Life expectancy at birth84.4 years★71.98 years
Median age of population41.35 years★29 years
Population Change19,131.5 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density142.65 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population6.03M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.88★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsB-C★A
Beer Consumption per Capita3.52 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)9.81 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate9.5 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)10.56 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6.4 % of GDP★6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age1.29M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)94.86 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate43.39 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.96 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.8★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate3.2127.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school11.38 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.38 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)181.39★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling11.69 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio32.39 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization65.38 %79.63 %★
Physician Density7.24 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.64 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio10.74★32.77
Total deaths57,855.8 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)67.41 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.43 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration19,926.4 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate3.13 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.71 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population76.38 millions★47.28 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)2.96★0.37
Airports102573★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel6990★
Heliports2949★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita11.29B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇩🇰 Denmark🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate1.6 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Denmark vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 10.9 times as many people as Denmark (65.49 million vs 6.03 million). Data for 2026.

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

Denmark. Denmark's economy is 7% larger than South Africa's ($452.74 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Denmark is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $75,111 in Denmark vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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