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El Salvador vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 171 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

El Salvador
slv
Leads on 69 of 171 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 93 of 171 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 10.2 times as many people as El Salvador (65.49 million vs 6.39 million). South Africa's economy is 10.3 times the size of El Salvador's ($424.75 billion vs $41.29 billion GDP).

Comparing El Salvador and South Africa: El Salvador leads on Televisions (600,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against El Salvador (25,000); South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against El Salvador (443). Across 171 compared metrics, El Salvador wins on 69 and South Africa wins on 93.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 64 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration12.46 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)66.48 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)67.66 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 68% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed12.46 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score41.19 points75.71 points★
Radios2.7517★
Televisions600,000★6
WaterwaysRio Lempa partially navigableNA

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.68B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars41.29B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)20.34 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume21.08M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate43.4 %81.13 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)6.47 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index65.3★59.6
Electricity Consumption5.93207.1★
Electricity Exports89.6★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4985★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants23★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables29★10
Electricity Imports1.0710.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity1.9850.02★
Electricity Production5.83234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)24.42 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate53.29 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-5.48 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap-5.48 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient38.863★
Gross Fixed Investment14.719.5★
Gross National Saving14.916.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage18.03 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries12,050.03 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.4 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate0.26 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)0.9 %★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 Reserves00
Oil Consumption47,000553,000★
Oil Exports3,82554,930★
Oil Imports45,570521,400★
Oil Production443192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line26.6 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)24.11 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt102.276.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.14 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.6 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption52,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports347105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports49,280195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances24★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million57.62 researchers444.16 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.14 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)6.95★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)21.8 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)21.8 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues20.726★
Top Exporting Countries11.59B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.08 %★-0.51 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.52 %★2.76 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.52 %★2.76 %
Unemployment Rate2.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate62.11 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate7.81 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)302,409★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate836.01 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature27.06 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions8.69★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution1,357.93 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionhigh population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvadorthe 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 Adaptation8.21 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage8.3 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country6.15 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources26.2751.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species6 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization10.75 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)113.61★85.66
Agricultural land11,957 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km20,7201.21M★
Coastline Length (km)307 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita612.17 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land24016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country45.49 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions14★9
Corruption Perception Index30 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score30 index41 index★
Independence1531★
LGBT Rights Index Score3.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate572 per 100,000259 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception30★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults26.8 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)30.46★96.29
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)12.7★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders72.3 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.81 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,504.96 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score79 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.7 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy72.3 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.5 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.2 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence10.22 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0.01 cases per 1,000★0.75 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)39 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth20.822.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density2.18 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)24.6 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending32.49 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS25,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors1.57★0.79
Underweight Children Under 554.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel25,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.34 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)42,00089,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)51.09 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.55★0.42
Life expectancy at birth77.5 years★71.98 years
Median age of population28.32 years29 years★
Population Change30,252 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density308.55 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population6.39M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.170.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA-A★A
Beer Consumption per Capita1.5 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)12.46 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate71.9 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate15.6 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)5.93 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.2 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.78M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)37.28 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate12.46 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.63 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.370.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate2.8927.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.66 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.12 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)169.77★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling8.1 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio11.98 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization76.77 %79.63 %★
Physician Density1.62 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.34 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums12.54 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio29.69★30.33
Total deaths44,862.2 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)59.77 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.74 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-22,086.1 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate10.53 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.04 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population70.29 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.180.37★
Airports27573★
Civil Air Travel790★
Heliports2★1

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita3.92B USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About El Salvador vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, El Salvador or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 10.2 times as many people as El Salvador (65.49 million vs 6.39 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, El Salvador or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 10.3 times the size of El Salvador's ($424.75 billion vs $41.29 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, El Salvador or South Africa?▾

They are about equally rich per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $6,459 in El Salvador (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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