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Ghana vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 119 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Ghana
gha
Leads on 40 of 119 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 70 of 119 metrics

Summary

Comparing Ghana and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Ghana (350,000); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against Ghana (2,073); Ghana leads on Natural Gas Imports (317.40) against South Africa (4.16). Across 119 compared metrics, Ghana wins on 40 and South Africa wins on 70.

  • Communications: 7 metrics compared
  • Economy: 48 metrics compared
  • Environment: 7 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 12 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 29 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

7 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Internet Penetration Rate (%)72.18 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)69.94 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 70% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score67.13 points75.71 points★
Radios12.517★
Televisions1.96★
Waterways1,293NA

Economy

48 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country18.41B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars87.51B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)10.02 %14.07 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)20 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)30.35 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index60★59.6
Electricity Consumption9.36207.1★
Electricity Exports187★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels5885★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants42★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports511★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity3.850.02★
Electricity Production12.52234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)10.49 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Gini Index Coefficient43.563★
Gross Fixed Investment25.1★19.5
Gross National Saving916.1★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)7.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)22.8 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.4 % of GDP0.7 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption1.235.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports317.4★4.16
Natural Gas Production914.4★906.1
Natural Gas Proved Reserves22.65★0
Oil Consumption60,000553,000★
Oil Exports5,75254,930★
Oil Imports68,830521,400★
Oil Production8,880192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves660★15
Population Below Poverty Line23.4 people★55.5 people
Public Debt73.4★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5.7 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption90,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports2,654105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports85,110195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production2,073487,100★
Remittances3★0.2
Robotics Research Funding0.38 USD0.66 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)60.8942.11★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.326★
Top Exporting Countries29.20B USD127.53B USD★
Unemployment Rate3.1 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate58.52 %55.58 %★

Environment

7 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)886,226★3.23M
Carbon Dioxide Emissions20.82★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Population Distributionpopulation is concentrated in the southern half of the country, with the highest concentrations on or near the Atlantic coast, 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 Adaptation15.2 sq km★9.88 sq km
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country26.3 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources56.2★51.35

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization3.89 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)96.64★85.66
Agricultural land130,393.8 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Coastline Length (km)539 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita4,109.2 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land36016,700★

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country47.28 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions16★9
Independence631★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

12 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water42.94 %68.01 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)2.77.2★
Health Care Spending per Capita281.09 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.7 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.9 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)234 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth21.822.5★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)10.9 %★28.3 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS350,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Underweight Children Under 5124.9★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)16,00089,000★

People and Society

29 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)51.09 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.47★0.42
Life expectancy at birth68.98 years71.98 years★
Median age of population21.53 years29 years★
Population Change642,359.5 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density156.9 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population35.70M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.670.83★
Birth Rate (%)27.09 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate27.2 %54.6 %★
Death Rate (%)5.73 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)2.9 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age9.17M persons18.20M persons★
Labor Force Participation Rate13.9327.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school6.47 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population3.77 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)168.85★166.68
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization78.01 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.27 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.12 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums31.27 %★23.64 %
Total deaths243,382.4 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)45.1 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.25 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-16,716.9 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate37.98 per live births28.89 per live births★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.050.37★
Airports11573★
Civil Air Travel890★
Heliports749★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate14 %★7 %

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