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Gabon vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 164 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Gabon
gab
Leads on 72 of 164 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 84 of 164 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 24.7 times as many people as Gabon (65.49 million vs 2.65 million). South Africa's economy is 18.1 times the size of Gabon's ($424.75 billion vs $23.52 billion GDP).

Comparing Gabon and South Africa: Gabon leads on Major Urban Areas Population (870,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Gabon leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (824,400) against South Africa (27.77); Gabon leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (671,000) against South Africa (50.02). Across 164 compared metrics, Gabon wins on 72 and South Africa wins on 84.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 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: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇬🇦 Gabon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration4.69 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)68.72 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)71.93 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 72% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed4.69 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score70.65 points75.71 points★
Radios208,000★17
Televisions63,000★6
Waterways1,600NA

Economy

60 metrics
Metric🇬🇦 Gabon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.58B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars23.52B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)19.14 %★14.07 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate68.18 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)15 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends30 %★28 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index4559.6★
Electricity Consumption2.07207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels5185★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants49★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports344★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity671,000★50.02
Electricity Production2.24234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)22.1 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate43.39 %55.4 %★
Gini Index Coefficient3863★
Gross Fixed Investment32.5★19.5
Gross National Saving25.6★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage54.76 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries18,986.48 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)2.8 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate1.77 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.2 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.5 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption401★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production401906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves28.32★0
Oil Consumption18,000553,000★
Oil Exports213,500★54,930
Oil Imports4,822521,400★
Oil Production227,900★192,100
Oil Proved Reserves215★
Population Below Poverty Line33.4 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)19.77 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt64.2★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.58 %0.75 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.4 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption24,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports4,662105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports10,680195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production16,580487,100★
Remittances0.10.2★
Robotics Research Funding0.58 USD0.75 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)9.18★42.11
Tax Burden (% of GDP)9.49 %★25.95 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)9.49 % of GDP25.95 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues9.526★
Top Exporting Countries13.49B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)5.48 %★0.58 %
Unemployment Rate20.1 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate51.06 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate36.28 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇬🇦 Gabon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)77,850★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-6,732.03 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature24.94 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions3.14★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution1,888.37 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionthe relatively small population is spread in pockets throughout the country; the largest urban center is the capital of Libreville, located along the Atlantic coast in the northwest, 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 Adaptation22.71 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage22.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country62 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources166★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species18 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇬🇦 Gabon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.27 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)223.25★85.66
Agricultural land21,532.4 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km257,6701.21M★
Coastline Length (km)885 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita81.46 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land4016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇬🇦 Gabon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country18.61 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions99
Corruption Perception Index27 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score27 index41 index★
Independence1731★
LGBT Rights Index Score0.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate241 per 100,000★286 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception27★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇬🇦 Gabon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults24 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate57 %76 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)8.5★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders68.51 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.29 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita812.96 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score48 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.7 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy68.51 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate3 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density6.3 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Low Birth Weight Prevalence14.65 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate187 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)233 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth20.322.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density2.37 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)15 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending17.27 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS46,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.520.79★
Underweight Children Under 55.44.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇬🇦 Gabon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel5,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.66 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)7,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇬🇦 Gabon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)45.65 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.46★0.42
Life expectancy at birth72.11 years★71.98 years
Median age of population21.54 years29 years★
Population Change54,221.3 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density10.27 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population2.65M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.430.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita6.18 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)25.51 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate31.1 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate27.13 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.44 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)2.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age652,038.4 persons18.20M persons★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate4.69 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth101.53 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.340.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate824,400★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school6.02 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population870,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)167.94★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling10.18 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age20★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.81 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization83.69 %★79.63 %
Physician Density0.52 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.35 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums39 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio24.53★32.6
Total deaths15,793.1 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)46.14 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.47 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration942.8 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate34.13 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.36 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population40.01 millions56.57 millions★

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇬🇦 Gabon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.320.37★
Airports42573★
Civil Air Travel1590★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇬🇦 Gabon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita28.70M USD9.14B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Gabon vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 24.7 times as many people as Gabon (65.49 million vs 2.65 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 18.1 times the size of Gabon's ($424.75 billion vs $23.52 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Gabon is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $8,885 in Gabon vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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