Guinea vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 158 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

South Africa has 4.2 times as many people as Guinea (65.49 million vs 15.44 million). South Africa's economy is 13.9 times the size of Guinea's ($424.75 billion vs $30.57 billion GDP).

Comparing Guinea and South Africa: Guinea leads on Radios (357,000) against South Africa (17); Guinea leads on Televisions (85,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Guinea (110,000). Across 158 compared metrics, Guinea wins on 47 and South Africa wins on 103.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 56 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 21 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 37 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇬🇳 Guinea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.01 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants3.12 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)33.3 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)26.5 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 27% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.01 Mbps3.12 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score52.53 points75.71 points★
Radios357,000★17
Televisions85,000★6
Waterways1,295NA

Economy

56 metrics
Metric🇬🇳 Guinea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country8.28B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars30.57B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)32.1 %★14.07 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate36.05 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)22.25 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)22.2 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index49.459.6★
Electricity Consumption556.1★207.1
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels3385★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants67★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity550,000★50.02
Electricity Production598★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)5.24 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate44.05 %55.4 %★
Gini Index Coefficient29.663★
Gross Fixed Investment20.1★19.5
Gross National Saving5.116.1★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries4,216.86 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)7.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate3.55 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)8.1 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.1 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption9,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports8,559521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line43.7 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)10.81 % of GDP13.22 % of GDP★
Public Debt41.8★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5.7 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends10.93 %★5.54 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption19,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports18,460195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances2.2★0.2
Taxes and Other Revenues16.626.11★
Top Exporting Countries10.35B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)5.61 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP0.92 %2.61 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)0.92 %2.61 %★
Unemployment Rate5.3 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate52.61 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate7.02 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇬🇳 Guinea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)151,158★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-66,997.95 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature26.42 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions4.51★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution1,861.16 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionareas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated, 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 Adaptation41.6 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage42.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country38 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources226★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species32 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇬🇳 Guinea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.14 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)131.19★85.66
Agricultural land186,372.2 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km245,7201.21M★
Coastline Length (km)320 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita116.68 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land94916,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇬🇳 Guinea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country19.93 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions79★
Corruption Perception Index28 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score28 index41 index★
Independence231★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.4110.94★
Prison Population Rate34 per 100,000★396 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception28★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

21 metrics
Metric🇬🇳 Guinea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults22.4 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate60 %76 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)4.67.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders60.9 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.27 per 1,000 births1.87 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita198.7 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score43 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy60.9 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.5 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.3 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Malaria Incidence Rate286.08 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)494 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth18.922.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.42 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)7.7 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending54.42 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS110,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.210.79★
Underweight Children Under 5154.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇬🇳 Guinea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel10,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.03 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)13,00089,000★

People and Society

37 metrics
Metric🇬🇳 Guinea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)67.52 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.380.42★
Life expectancy at birth62.86 years71.98 years★
Median age of population18.45 years29 years★
Population Change347,244.5 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density62.87 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population15.44M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.30.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.3 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)35.04 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate10.9 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate33.33 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)7.69 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)1.7 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age3.83M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)6.64 %21.68 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.01 %3.12 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.64 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.150.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate4.5327.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school4.61 years4.88 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population2.11 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)167.54★166.68
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.22 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization55.89 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.21 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.74 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums45.86 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio45.5932.77★
Total deaths133,909.7 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)33.57 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.95 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-17,688.1 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate88.71 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.47 %★1.34 %

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇬🇳 Guinea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.020.37★
Airports16573★
Civil Air Travel1090★
Heliports149★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇬🇳 Guinea🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita4.96M USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Guinea vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 4.2 times as many people as Guinea (65.49 million vs 15.44 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 13.9 times the size of Guinea's ($424.75 billion vs $30.57 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $1,979 in Guinea (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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