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Estonia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 173 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Estonia
est
Leads on 87 of 173 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 74 of 173 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 49.3 times as many people as Estonia (65.49 million vs 1.33 million). South Africa's economy is 8.6 times the size of Estonia's ($424.75 billion vs $49.13 billion GDP).

Comparing Estonia and South Africa: Estonia leads on Televisions (605,000) against South Africa (6); Estonia leads on Major Urban Areas Population (454,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Estonia leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (756,200) against South Africa (27.77). Across 173 compared metrics, Estonia wins on 87 and South Africa wins on 74.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 64 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇪🇪 Estonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration35.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)92.24 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)93.18 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 93% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed35.35 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score89.46 points★75.71 points
Radios1.0117★
Televisions605,000★6
Waterways320NA

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇪🇪 Estonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.10B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars49.13B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)24.55 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume12.37M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate98.9 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.2 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends20 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.7 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index80.6★59.6
Electricity Consumption8.8207.1★
Electricity Exports5.6116.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7285★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables28★10
Electricity Imports3.5810.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity2.5850.02★
Electricity Production11.55234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)73.68 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate80.82 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient31.863★
Gross Fixed Investment23.3★19.5
Gross National Saving27★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage51.48 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries41,604.32 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-7 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate4.83 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.5 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3.4 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption481.4★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports481.4★4.16
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption31,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports28,520521,400★
Oil Production7,642192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line22.5 people★55.5 people
Public Debt28.3★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.76 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)-0.3 USD0.6 USD★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption28,300621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports27,150105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports35,520195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances1.2★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million4,654.85 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding1.76 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.99★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)22.67 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)22.67 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues21.426★
Top Exporting Countries32.64B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-1.78 %-0.51 %★
Total Number of Billionaires27★
Tourism Contribution to GDP5.4 %★2.61 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)5.4 %★2.61 %
Unemployment Rate7.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate65.13 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate19.7 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇪🇪 Estonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-437,480★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate575.98 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature7.71 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions4.61★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution845.38 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributiona fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populationsthe 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 Adaptation21.9 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage21.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources12.8151.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species1 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇪🇪 Estonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.03 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)115.87★85.66
Agricultural land9,866.4 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km42,7301.21M★
Coastline Length (km)3,794 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita133.26 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land2016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇪🇪 Estonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country92.62 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions15★9
Corruption Perception Index76 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score76 index★41 index
Independence2431★
LGBT Rights Index Score6.810.94★
Prison Population Rate118 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception7641★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇪🇪 Estonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water98.94 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults26.9 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate83 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)11.86★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.97.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders79.3 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.19 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita4,030.44 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score79 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy79.3 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density4.7 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita5.27 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence4.17 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)5 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth26.4★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density6.96 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)21.2 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending22.1 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS7,1007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People16 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)5.64 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors3.47★0.79
Underweight Children Under 50.4★5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇪🇪 Estonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel7,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)3.37 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)7,00089,000★

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇪🇪 Estonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)52.99 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.81★0.42
Life expectancy at birth83.9 years★71.98 years
Median age of population42.96 years★29 years
Population Change-26,511.3 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density31.32 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population1.33M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.97★0.83
Beer Consumption per Capita4.41 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)7.86 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate7.1 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)12.57 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.2 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age284,919.6 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)81.38 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate35.35 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.98 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.77★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate756,200★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school11.96 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population454,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)181.59★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling12.29 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio33.1 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization65.76 %79.63 %★
Physician Density3.47 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.47 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0.34 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio11.5★32.03
Total deaths16,078.4 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)67.75 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.27 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-20,200.2 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate1.89 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.4 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population56.45 millions★47.28 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇪🇪 Estonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.16★0.37
Airports34573★
Civil Air TravelNA major transport aircraft90
Heliports1049★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇪🇪 Estonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita2.36B USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Estonia vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 49.3 times as many people as Estonia (65.49 million vs 1.33 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 8.6 times the size of Estonia's ($424.75 billion vs $49.13 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Estonia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $36,994 in Estonia vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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