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Geo Factbook

Egypt vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 176 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Egypt
egy
Leads on 95 of 176 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 72 of 176 metrics

Summary

Egypt has 84% more people than South Africa (120.19 million vs 65.49 million). South Africa and Egypt have economies of similar size ($424.75 billion vs $406.74 billion GDP).

Comparing Egypt and South Africa: South Africa leads on Annual Forest Area Change Rate (87,566 %) against Egypt (6.00 %); Egypt leads on Apple Import Volume (153.00 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Egypt (24,000). Across 176 compared metrics, Egypt wins on 95 and South Africa wins on 72.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration11.69 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)74.65 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)72.69 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 73% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed11.69 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score24.74 points75.71 points★
Radios20.5★17
Televisions7.7★6
Waterways3,500NA

Economy

67 metrics
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country68.23B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars406.74B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)13 %14.07 %★
Apple Import Volume153.00M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate43.11 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)19.25 %★5.75 %
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)18.18 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends22.5 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index60.1★59.6
Electricity Consumption159.7207.1★
Electricity Exports1.1616.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels91★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants6★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables210★
Electricity Imports54★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity45.1250.02★
Electricity Production183.5234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)34.98 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate19.87 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage3.03 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap3.03 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient31.963★
Gross Fixed Investment13.519.5★
Gross National Saving916.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage35.59 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries17,265.15 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-1.9 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate14.07 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)28.3 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption57.71★5.07
Natural Gas Exports212.4★0
Natural Gas Imports7.08★4.16
Natural Gas Production50.86906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves2.19★0
Oil Consumption740,000★553,000
Oil Exports163,000★54,930
Oil Imports177,200521,400★
Oil Production662,600★192,100
Oil Proved Reserves4.415★
Population Below Poverty Line29.7 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)6.61 % of GDP11.46 % of GDP★
Public Debt10376.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.02 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.4 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends-7.03 %7.42 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption878,000★621,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports47,360105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports280,200★195,200
Refined Petroleum Products Production547,500★487,100
Remittances4.9★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million829.28 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding1.02 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)1.54★29.54
Tax Burden (% of GDP)12.52 %★25.05 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)12.52 % of GDP25.05 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.526★
Top Exporting Countries63.71B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)4.23 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires57★
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.04 %2.11 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.04 %2.11 %★
Unemployment Rate7.2 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate44.57 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate18.29 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)8.14M3.23M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate6 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature23.57 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions236.62★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution6.35 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionapproximately 95% of the population lives within 20 km (12 mi) of the Nile River and its delta; vast areas of the country remain sparsely populated or uninhabited, as shown in this population distribution mapthe 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 Adaptation13.15 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage13.1 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country1.5 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources57.5★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species19 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization3.14 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)120★85.66
Agricultural land42,684 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km995,4501.21M★
Coastline Length (km)2,450 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita1,394.26 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land36,500★16,700

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country45.16 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions27★9
Corruption Perception Index30 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score30 index41 index★
Independence2831★
LGBT Rights Index Score0.0910.94★
Prison Population Rate87 per 100,000★318 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception30★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water78.94 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27.8 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate97 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)19.56★89.28
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)22.4★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders71.81 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.84 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,127.21 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score71 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.6 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy71.81 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.1%18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.4 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.4 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Malaria Incidence Rate0 cases per 1,000★0.11 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)17 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth22.9★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density1.79 per 1,000 people★1.2 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)32 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending57.2 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS24,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors0.70.78★
Underweight Children Under 53.7★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel439,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.61 %★0.74 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)836,000★89,000

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)64.88 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.5★0.42
Life expectancy at birth75.49 years★71.98 years
Median age of population24.68 years29 years★
Population Change1.96M persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density120.77 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population120.19M persons★65.49M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.080.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.05 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)18.63 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate58.5 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate20.92 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)4.33 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.9 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age30.60M persons★18.20M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)37.96 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate11.69 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.2 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.320.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate33.75★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school6.48 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population22.18 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling8.01 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age20★18
Military Service Age and Obligationvoluntary enlistment possible from age 16 for men and 17 for women; 18-30 years of age for compulsory service for men; service obligation 14-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation; active service length depends on education; high school drop-o18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio7.94 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization97.57 %★79.63 %
Physician Density0.67 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.4 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums1.9 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio27.73★29.51
Total deaths595,263.5 persons540,582.7 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)49.72 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.71 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration73,264.1 persons★39,599.6 persons
Under-five mortality rate14.71 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.8 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population47.14 millions53.77 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.160.37★
Airports73573★
Civil Air Travel5090★
Heliports60★49

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita17.17B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇪🇬 Egypt🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate19 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Egypt vs South Africa

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

Egypt. Egypt has 84% more people than South Africa (120.19 million vs 65.49 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa and Egypt have economies of similar size ($424.75 billion vs $406.74 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $3,384 in Egypt (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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