Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Ghana vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 172 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Ghana
gha
Leads on 60 of 172 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 103 of 172 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 83% more people than Ghana (65.49 million vs 35.7 million). South Africa's economy is 4.9 times the size of Ghana's ($424.75 billion vs $87.51 billion GDP).

Comparing Ghana and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Ghana (350,000); South Africa leads on Malaria Incidence Rate (0.11 cases per 1,000) against Ghana (195.77 cases per 1,000); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against Ghana (2,073). Across 172 compared metrics, Ghana wins on 60 and South Africa wins on 103.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 62 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: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.66 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
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.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.66 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score67.13 points75.71 points★
Radios12.517★
Televisions1.96★
Waterways1,293NA

Economy

62 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 %★
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.24 %★81.13 %
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★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate57.37 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage26.09 %★20 %
Gender Wage Gap26.09 %20 %★
Gini Index Coefficient43.563★
Gross Fixed Investment25.1★19.5
Gross National Saving916.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage14.69 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries7,357.83 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)7.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate14.2 %3.21 %★
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
Private Investment (% of GDP)17 % of GDP★13.22 % of GDP
Public Debt73.4★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.38 %0.66 %★
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
Researchers in R&D per Million87.48 researchers466.56 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.38 USD0.66 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)60.8942.11★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)12.39 %★25.4 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)12.39 % of GDP25.4 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.326★
Top Exporting Countries29.20B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.67 %★-0.51 %
Unemployment Rate3.1 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate58.52 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate5.83 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)886,226★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate35,720.02 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature27.92 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions20.82★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution875.56 mm★652.17 mm
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
Protected Land Area Percentage15.3 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country26.3 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources56.2★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species23 species★33 species

Geography

7 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★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km227,5331.21M★
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

9 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country47.28 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions16★9
Corruption Perception Index42 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score42 index★41 index
Independence631★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.2310.94★
Prison Population Rate41 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4241★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water42.94 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults22.5 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate90 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)2.77.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders65.7 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.94 per 1,000 births1.87 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita281.09 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score56 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy65.7 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.7 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.9 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita0.7 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence14.42 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate195.77 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)234 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth21.822.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density4.47 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)10.9 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending26.68 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS350,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.140.79★
Underweight Children Under 5124.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel16,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.48 %★0.74 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)16,00089,000★

People and Society

40 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★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.51 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)27.09 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate27.2 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate25.92 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
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★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)21.68 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.66 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.23 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.410.48★
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
Mean Years of Schooling8.39 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.03 %★9.65 %
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 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio31.2630.33★
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★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.79 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population58.6 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

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

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇬🇭 Ghana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita1.28B USD6.72B USD★

Other

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Ghana vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 83% more people than Ghana (65.49 million vs 35.7 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 4.9 times the size of Ghana's ($424.75 billion vs $87.51 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $2,451 in Ghana (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More Ghana comparisons

More South Africa comparisons