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Germany vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 112 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Germany
deu
Leads on 67 of 112 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 37 of 112 metrics

Summary

Comparing Germany and South Africa: South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (621,000) against Germany (2.46); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against Germany (2.16); South Africa leads on Oil Consumption (553,000) against Germany (2.50). Across 112 compared metrics, Germany wins on 67 and South Africa wins on 37.

  • Communications: 6 metrics compared
  • Economy: 44 metrics compared
  • Environment: 6 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🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)92.48 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 94% (2024 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score83.85 points★75.71 points
Radios77.8★17
Televisions51.4★6
Waterways7,500NA

Economy

44 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country42.94B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars5.03T $★424.75B $
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.022.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)1.67 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)11.4 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index79.7★59.6
Electricity Consumption536.5★207.1
Electricity Exports78.86★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4185★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants2★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels5★4
Electricity from Other Renewables52★10
Electricity Imports28.34★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity208.5★50.02
Electricity Production612.8★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)120.46 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Gini Index Coefficient31.763★
Gross Fixed Investment17.819.5★
Gross National Saving28★16.1
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-3 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.3 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.4 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption93.36★5.07
Natural Gas Exports34.61★0
Natural Gas Imports119.5★4.16
Natural Gas Production7.9906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves39.5★0
Oil Consumption2.5553,000★
Oil Exports470,200★54,930
Oil Imports2.67521,400★
Oil Production147,200192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves276★15
Population Below Poverty Line14.8 people★55.5 people
Public Debt63.9★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)-0.2 USD0.6 USD★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption2.46621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports494,000★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports883,800★195,200
Refined Petroleum Products Production2.16487,100★
Remittances0.5★0.2
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0★31.21
Taxes and Other Revenues1126★
Unemployment Rate3.5 %★33.2 %

Environment

6 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-21.45M★3.23M
Carbon Dioxide Emissions600.19446.7★
Continental Shelf200200
Population Distributionsecond most populous country in Europe; a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations, particularly in the far-western part of the industrial state of North Rhine-Westphaliathe 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 Country45.7 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources154★51.35

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization9.82 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)185.14★85.66
Agricultural land165,134 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Coastline Length (km)2,389 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita47.27 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land5,06516,700★

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country92.99 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions16★9
Independence1831★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

10 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)15.15★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.8★7.2
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)12.7 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density8 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)4 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth29.2★22.5
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.3 %★28.3 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS93,0007.8★
Underweight Children Under 50.6★4.9

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)183,000★89,000

People and Society

30 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)54.08 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.75★0.42
Life expectancy at birth84.11 years★71.98 years
Median age of population45.59 years★29 years
Population Change-741,055 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density242.59 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population83.60M persons★65.49M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.88★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsA-B★A
Birth Rate (%)8.87 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate67 %★54.6 %
Death Rate (%)11.96 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.2 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age16.48M persons18.20M persons★
Labor Force Participation Rate43.77★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school11.24 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother60 days★0 days
Major Urban Areas Population3.57 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)179.88★166.68
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1718★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization73.51 %79.63 %★
Physician Density4.53 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.13 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0 %23.64 %★
Total deaths1.07M persons540,582.7 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)61.31 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.4 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-349,130.8 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate3.21 per live births★28.89 per live births

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.35★0.37
Airports840★573
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel239★90
Heliports449★49

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Germany vs South Africa: Compare Key Statistics and Facts | Geo Factbook