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Guyana vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 164 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Guyana
guy
Leads on 74 of 164 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 80 of 164 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 77.9 times as many people as Guyana (65.49 million vs 840,886). South Africa's economy is 12.9 times the size of Guyana's ($424.75 billion vs $32.87 billion GDP).

Comparing Guyana and South Africa: Guyana leads on Radios (420,000) against South Africa (17); Guyana leads on Major Urban Areas Population (110,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Guyana leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (292,200) against South Africa (27.77). Across 164 compared metrics, Guyana wins on 74 and South Africa wins on 80.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 58 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: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇬🇾 Guyana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration12.94 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★3.12 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)83 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)81.72 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 82% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed12.94 Mbps★3.12 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score60.12 points75.71 points★
Radios420,000★17
Televisions46,000★6
Waterways5,900NA

Economy

58 metrics
Metric🇬🇾 Guyana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.82B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars32.87B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)32.33 %★16.83 %
Apple Import Volume1.54M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.5 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)13 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index55.559.6★
Electricity Consumption790.1★207.1
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels89★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables11★10
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity428,000★50.02
Electricity Production1.01234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)46.05 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate51.66 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage0.34 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap0.34 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient44.663★
Gross Fixed Investment29.6★19.5
Gross National Saving10.516.1★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries83,658.68 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)53.3 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate3.33 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.9 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.9 % 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 Consumption10,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports10,480521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line35 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)19.03 % of GDP★13.22 % of GDP
Public Debt50.7★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)43.4 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends17.56 %★7.68 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption14,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports13,720195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances3.2★0.2
Taxes and Other Revenues28.1★26.11
Top Exporting Countries698.04M USD68.17B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)34.99 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP63.4 %★3.54 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)63.4 %★3.54 %
Unemployment Rate10.2 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate54.99 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate24.9 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇬🇾 Guyana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)131,397★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-7,630.08 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature25.63 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions2.64★446.7
Continental Shelfouter edge of continental margin or 200 nm;200
Global Precipitation Distribution2,266.91 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionpopulation is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with notable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populatedthe 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 Adaptation8.37 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage8.4 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country103 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources271★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species11 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇬🇾 Guyana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.2 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)498.96★85.66
Agricultural land7,212 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km211,1401.21M★
Coastline Length (km)459 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita949.96 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land1,43016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇬🇾 Guyana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country44.69 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions10★9
Corruption Perception Index39 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score39 index41 index★
Independence2631★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.3910.94★
Prison Population Rate239 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception39★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇬🇾 Guyana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water67.17 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults25.1 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate99 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)169.69102.05★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)16.4★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders70.32 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.24 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,720.86 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score73 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy70.32 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.4 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.7 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence17.16 %16.64 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate38.74 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)75 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth20.822.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density3.44 per 1,000 people★1.01 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)20.2 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending26.33 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS9,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors1.79★0.74
Underweight Children Under 59.44.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇬🇾 Guyana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel3,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.99 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)3,00089,000★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇬🇾 Guyana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)59.33 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.5★0.42
Life expectancy at birth76.66 years★71.98 years
Median age of population26.51 years29 years★
Population Change3,816.3 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density4.27 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population840,885.5 persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.760.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita3.03 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)16.68 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate29.9 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate19.88 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)7.05 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.5 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age216,417.05 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)35.27 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate12.94 %★3.12 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.14 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.410.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate292,200★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school6.9 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population110,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)170.21★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling8.52 years10.47 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio10.09 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization73.98 %79.63 %★
Physician Density1.39 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.35 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums7.98 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio23.16★32.94
Total deaths5,179 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)48.81 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.35 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-7,117.6 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate20.11 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.64 %1.34 %★

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇬🇾 Guyana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.46★0.37
Airports55573★
Civil Air Travel390★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇬🇾 Guyana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita398.82M USD5.96B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Guyana vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 77.9 times as many people as Guyana (65.49 million vs 840,886). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 12.9 times the size of Guyana's ($424.75 billion vs $32.87 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Guyana is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $39,086 in Guyana vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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