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Geo Factbook

Germany vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 176 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Germany
deu
Leads on 116 of 176 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 52 of 176 metrics

Summary

Germany has 28% more people than South Africa (83.6 million vs 65.49 million). Germany's economy is 11.8 times the size of South Africa's ($5.03 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

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 176 compared metrics, Germany wins on 116 and South Africa wins on 52.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration45.61 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)93.5 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)92.48 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 94% (2024 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed45.61 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score83.85 points★75.71 points
Radios77.8★17
Televisions51.4★6
Waterways7,500NA

Economy

65 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 $
AI Investment (% of GDP)21.5 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume560.26M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate98.3 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.022.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)1.67 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends29.83 %★28 %
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
Female Labor Force Participation Rate75.97 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient31.763★
Gross Fixed Investment17.819.5★
Gross National Saving28★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage71.71 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries62,823.77 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-3 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate2.17 %★3.21 %
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
Number of AI Patents Filed995 patents★22 patents
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
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)3.07 %★0.61 %
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
Researchers in R&D per Million5,801.62 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding3.07 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)10.89 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)10.89 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues1126★
Top Exporting Countries1.94T USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.88 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires212★7
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.16 %2.26 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.16 %2.26 %★
Unemployment Rate3.5 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate60.57 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate6.86 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-21.45M★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate4,800 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature10.08 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions600.19446.7★
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution734.11 mm★652.17 mm
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
Protected Land Area for Adaptation39.77 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage39.2 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country45.7 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources154★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species7 species★33 species

Geography

7 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★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km349,4301.21M★
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

9 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country92.99 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions16★9
Corruption Perception Index75 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score75 index★41 index
Independence1831★
LGBT Rights Index Score9.6810.94★
Prison Population Rate72 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception7541★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water99.92 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27.3 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)15.15★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.8★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders80.79 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.3 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita9,521.39 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score87 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)12.7 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy80.79 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density8 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita8.34 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence6.71 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)4 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth29.2★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density12.25 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.3 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending11.05 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS93,0007.8★
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)9.97 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors4.53★0.79
Underweight Children Under 50.6★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel183,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.27 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)183,000★89,000

People and Society

41 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
Beer Consumption per Capita4.85 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)8.87 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate67 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate8.1 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
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★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)82.2 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate45.61 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.55 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.84★0.48
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
Mean Years of Schooling13.1 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1718★
Old-Age Dependency Ratio35.97 %9.65 %★
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 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio12.22★30.33
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
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.11 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population64.61 millions★56.57 millions

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

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇩🇪 Germany🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita40.13B USD★6.72B USD

Frequently Asked Questions About Germany vs South Africa

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

Germany. Germany has 28% more people than South Africa (83.6 million vs 65.49 million). Data for 2026.

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

Germany. Germany's economy is 11.8 times the size of South Africa's ($5.03 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Germany is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $60,136 in Germany vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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