France vs South Africa: Compare Statistics
Side-by-side comparison of 111 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.
Summary
Comparing France and South Africa: South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against France (1.31); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (621,000) against France (1.71); South Africa leads on Oil Consumption (553,000) against France (1.86). Across 111 compared metrics, France wins on 72 and South Africa wins on 30.
- Communications: 6 metrics compared
- Economy: 44 metrics compared
- Environment: 5 metrics compared
- Geography: 6 metrics compared
- Government: 4 metrics compared
- Health: 10 metrics compared
- Military and Security: 1 metric compared
- People and Society: 30 metrics compared
- Transportation: 5 metrics compared
Communications
6 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇿🇦 South Africa | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population) | 86.84 %★ | 75.66 % | |
| Internet Users | percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) | percent of population: 76% (2023 est.) | |
| Press Freedom Index Score | 76.62 points★ | 75.71 points | |
| Radios | 55.3★ | 17 | |
| Televisions | 34.8★ | 6 | |
| Waterways | 14,932 | NA |
Economy
44 metricsEnvironment
5 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇿🇦 South Africa | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs) | -6.11M★ | 3.23M | |
| Carbon Dioxide Emissions | 303.78★ | 446.7 | |
| Population Distribution | much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second | the 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 | |
| Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country | 120 Cubic meters per year★ | 4.8 Cubic meters per year | |
| Total Renewable Water Resources | 211★ | 51.35 |
Geography
6 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇿🇦 South Africa | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization | 4.22 %★ | 1.94 % | |
| Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha) | 135.5★ | 85.66 | |
| Agricultural land | 281,003.2 sq. km | 963,410 sq. km★ | |
| Coastline Length (km) | 4,853 km★ | 2,798 km | |
| Dam capacity per capita | 148.88 cubic meters per inhabitant | 464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★ | |
| Irrigated Land | 14,236 | 16,700★ |
Government
4 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇿🇦 South Africa | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule of Law Index by Country | 82.08 %★ | 61.59 % | |
| Administrative Divisions | 18★ | 9 | |
| Independence | no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French | 31 | |
| Suffrage Participation Rate | 18 | 18 |
Health
10 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇿🇦 South Africa | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std) | 10.57★ | 102.05 | |
| Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population) | 6.5 | 7.2★ | |
| Health Expenditure (% of GDP) | 12.3 % of GDP★ | 8.3 % of GDP | |
| HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate | 0.3 %★ | 18.3 % | |
| Hospital Bed Density | 6 people/sq km★ | 2.3 people/sq km | |
| Maternal Mortality Ratio (%) | 7 %★ | 118 % | |
| Mean Age at First Birth | 28.1★ | 22.5 | |
| Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%) | 21.6 %★ | 28.3 % | |
| People Living With HIV/AIDS | 190,000 | 7.8★ | |
| Underweight Children Under 5 | NA | 5.5 |
Military and Security
1 metric| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇿🇦 South Africa | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP) | 304,000★ | 89,000 |
People and Society
30 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇿🇦 South Africa | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currently married (Percent) | 52.51 %★ | 33.25 % | |
| Human Capital Index | 0.76★ | 0.42 | |
| Life expectancy at birth | 86.69 years★ | 71.98 years | |
| Median age of population | 42.51 years★ | 29 years | |
| Population Change | 62,507.4 persons | 673,269.7 persons★ | |
| Population density | 121.19 per sq. km | 53.74 per sq. km★ | |
| Total population | 66.75M persons★ | 65.49M persons | |
| Academic Freedom Index | 0.8 | 0.83★ | |
| Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & Rankings | A-B★ | A | |
| Birth Rate (%) | 10.88 % | 17.21 %★ | |
| Contraceptive Prevalence Rate | NA | 54.6 % | |
| Death Rate (%) | 9.91 % | 6.56 %★ | |
| Education Expenditure (% of GDP) | 5.3 % of GDP | 6 % of GDP★ | |
| Female population of reproductive age | 13.97M persons | 18.20M persons★ | |
| Labor Force Participation Rate | 31.73★ | 27.77 | |
| Learning-adjusted years of school | 11.25 years★ | 4.88 years | |
| Length of paid parental leave for mother | 180 days★ | 0 days | |
| Major Urban Areas Population | 11.21 people★ | 10.32 people | |
| Mean Male Height (cm) | 179.74★ | 166.68 | |
| Military Manpower at Military Age | 18 | 18 | |
| Military Service Age and Obligation | generally 17-30 years of age for both men and women with some variations by service, position, and enlisted versus officer; 17-40 for National Gendarmerie; basic service contract is for 12 months; no conscription (abolished 2001) (2025) note 1: a 10-month | 18 | |
| Percentage of population by degree of urbanization | 62.53 % | 79.63 %★ | |
| Physician Density | 3.28 people/sq km★ | 0.79 people/sq km | |
| Population Growth Rate | 0.2 % | 1.06 %★ | |
| Population living in slums | 0 % | 23.64 %★ | |
| Total deaths | 607,731.9 persons | 540,582.7 persons★ | |
| Total demand for family planning (Percent) | 70.02 %★ | 62.02 % | |
| Total fertility rate | 1.56 per woman | 2.17 per woman★ | |
| Total net-migration | 66,501.8 persons★ | 39,599.6 persons | |
| Under-five mortality rate | 3.49 per live births★ | 28.89 per live births |
Transportation
5 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇿🇦 South Africa | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP) | 1.35★ | 0.37 | |
| Airports | 1,218★ | 573 | |
| Annual Human Space Visits (Total) | 1★ | 0 | |
| Civil Air Travel | 195★ | 90 | |
| Heliports | 405★ | 49 |