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Eritrea vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 147 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Eritrea
eri
Leads on 43 of 147 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 91 of 147 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 17.8 times as many people as Eritrea (65.49 million vs 3.68 million). South Africa's economy is 93.6 times the size of Eritrea's ($424.75 billion vs $4.54 billion GDP).

Comparing Eritrea and South Africa: Eritrea leads on Radios (345,000) against South Africa (17); Eritrea leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (160,700) against South Africa (50.02); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Eritrea (13,000). Across 147 compared metrics, Eritrea wins on 43 and South Africa wins on 91.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 47 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 8 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 35 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇪🇷 Eritrea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.17 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants3.12 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)14.35 %72.11 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)20.01 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 20% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.17 Mbps3.12 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score11.32 points75.71 points★
Radios345,000★17
Televisions1,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

47 metrics
Metric🇪🇷 Eritrea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country480.82M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars4.54B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)12.63 %18.85 %★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)NA10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index21.659.6★
Electricity Consumption353.9★207.1
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels99★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity160,700★50.02
Electricity Production415.9★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)2.98 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate76.19 %★55.4 %
Gross Fixed Investment27.5★19.5
Gross National Saving5.516.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage14.67 %45.27 %★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.3 %★-0.15 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)7.4 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)10 % 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 Consumption6,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports3,864521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line50 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)10.28 % of GDP14.39 % of GDP★
Public Debt132.876.2★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption4,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports3,897195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Taxes and Other Revenues34.9★26.11
Top Exporting Countries374.90M USD126.91B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.89 %★0.9 %
Unemployment Rate5.6 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate78.35 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate10.24 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇪🇷 Eritrea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)11,612★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-5,980.01 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature27.44 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions733,000446.7★
Global Precipitation Distribution290.51 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributiondensity is highest in the center of the country, in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren; smaller settlements exist in the north and south, 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 Adaptation4.9 sq km8.6 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage4.9 %8.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.5 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources7.3251.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species16 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇪🇷 Eritrea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.62 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)72.5285.66★
Agricultural land75,920 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km121,178.21.21M★
Coastline Length (km)2,234 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita12.07 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land21016,700★

Government

8 metrics
Metric🇪🇷 Eritrea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country0.66 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions69★
Corruption Perception Index13 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score13 index41 index★
Independence2431★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.3910.94★
Public Sector Corruption Perception13★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇪🇷 Eritrea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults20.2 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate93 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)4.47.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders68.89 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.52 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita83.49 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score40 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy68.89 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.5 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.7 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.27 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence15.16 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate102.42 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)291 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth20.622.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.54 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending48.45 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS13,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.090.79★
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇪🇷 Eritrea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel302,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)20.87 %1.47 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)202,000★89,000

People and Society

35 metrics
Metric🇪🇷 Eritrea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)53.73 %★33.25 %
Life expectancy at birth72.01 years★71.98 years
Median age of population19.45 years29 years★
Population Change76,822.4 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density30.27 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population3.68M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.030.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.4 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)25.92 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate28.72 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.43 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)NA6.6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age923,482.65 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)2.64 %22.34 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.17 %3.12 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth102.58 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.120.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate1.7127.77★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.07 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)168.36★166.68
Military Service Age and ObligationEritrea mandates military service for all citizens age 18-40; 18-month conscript service obligation, which reportedly includes 4-6 months of military training and 12 months of military or other national service (military service is most common); in practi18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio7.26 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization64.15 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.09 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.16 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums43.35 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio43.3430.33★
Total deaths20,922.5 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)25.03 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.55 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-7,063.4 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate31.3 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.01 %★1.34 %

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇪🇷 Eritrea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.040.37★
Airports11573★
Heliports11

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇪🇷 Eritrea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita48.00M USD8.81B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Eritrea vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 17.8 times as many people as Eritrea (65.49 million vs 3.68 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 93.6 times the size of Eritrea's ($424.75 billion vs $4.54 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $1,234 in Eritrea (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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