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Gambia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 167 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Gambia
gmb
Leads on 52 of 167 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 106 of 167 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 22.7 times as many people as Gambia (65.49 million vs 2.88 million). South Africa's economy is 153 times the size of Gambia's ($424.75 billion vs $2.79 billion GDP).

Comparing Gambia and South Africa: Gambia leads on Major Urban Areas Population (481,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Gambia leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (783,100) against South Africa (27.77); Gambia leads on Radios (196,000) against South Africa (17). Across 167 compared metrics, Gambia wins on 52 and South Africa wins on 106.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 62 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 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
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.52 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)49.49 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)45.91 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 46% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.52 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score65.49 points75.71 points★
Radios196,000★17
Televisions5,000★6
Waterways400NA

Economy

62 metrics
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country661.48M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars2.79B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)29.94 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume123,120 tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate38.16 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)9 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)29 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index50.359.6★
Electricity Consumption282.8★207.1
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels97★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables310★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity117,000★50.02
Electricity Production304.1★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)2.73 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate46.9 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-0.5 %10 %★
Gender Wage Gap-0.5 %★10 %
Gini Index Coefficient38.863★
Gross Fixed Investment26.6★19.5
Gross National Saving6.816.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage15.08 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries3,166.62 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)2.4 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate11.56 %4.36 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)11.6 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.6 % of GDP0.7 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption2,000553,000★
Oil Exports4254,930★
Oil Imports2,807521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line53.4 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)22.6 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt82.376.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.07 %0.69 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5.7 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends13.08 %★7.68 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption3,800621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports42105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports3,738195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances21.1★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million50.86 researchers500.79 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.07 USD0.69 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)34.2329.54★
Taxes and Other Revenues20.326.11★
Top Exporting Countries210.40M USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)9.66 %★0.58 %
Unemployment Rate6.5 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate47.46 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate10.86 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)30,139★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-6,534 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature27.88 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions537,000446.7★
Continental Shelfnot specific;200
Global Precipitation Distribution845.66 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionsettlements are found scattered along the Gambia River; the largest communities, including the capital of Banjul and the country's largest city, Serekunda, are found at the mouth of the Gambia River along the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population dithe 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 Adaptation7.65 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage7.7 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.5 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources851.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species10 species★33 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization6.19 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)41.885.66★
Agricultural land6,340 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km10,1201.21M★
Coastline Length (km)80 km2,798 km★
Irrigated Land5016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country37.03 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions59★
Corruption Perception Index38 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score38 index41 index★
Independence1831★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.510.94★
Prison Population Rate55 per 100,000★288 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception38★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water48.18 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults23.4 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate83 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)5.57.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.06 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.85 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita118.28 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score53 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.06 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.7 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.1 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence13.25 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate75.44 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)354 %118 %★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.69 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)10.3 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending33.78 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS27,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.10.79★
Underweight Children Under 511.64.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel4,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.57 %★0.74 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)4,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)59.69 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.45★0.42
Life expectancy at birth68.93 years71.98 years★
Median age of population18.77 years29 years★
Population Change62,964.3 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density284.9 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population2.88M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.820.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA★A
Beer Consumption per Capita0.02 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)26.49 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate18.9 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate29.86 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.53 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)2.8 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age715,446.85 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)0.71 %21.13 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.52 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth102.56 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.270.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate783,100★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school5.88 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population481,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)165.4166.68★
Mean Years of Schooling4.92 years10.47 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio5.29 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization75.98 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.09 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.09 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums33.48 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio37.1430.33★
Total deaths17,068.1 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)30.62 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.72 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-3,402.1 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate40.68 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.29 %★1.34 %

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.060.37★
Airports1573★
Civil Air Travel490★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita447.51M USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇬🇲 Gambia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate14 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Gambia vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 22.7 times as many people as Gambia (65.49 million vs 2.88 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 153 times the size of Gambia's ($424.75 billion vs $2.79 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $965.63 in Gambia (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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