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Jamaica vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 170 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Jamaica
jam
Leads on 66 of 170 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 92 of 170 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 23.1 times as many people as Jamaica (65.49 million vs 2.83 million). South Africa's economy is 16.1 times the size of Jamaica's ($424.75 billion vs $26.44 billion GDP).

Comparing Jamaica and South Africa: Jamaica leads on Televisions (460,000) against South Africa (6); Jamaica leads on Major Urban Areas Population (597,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Jamaica (32,000). Across 170 compared metrics, Jamaica wins on 66 and South Africa wins on 92.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 63 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration15.98 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)90.11 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)89.47 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 83% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed15.98 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score75.83 points★75.71 points
Radios1.2217★
Televisions460,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

63 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.68B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars26.44B $424.75B $★
Apple Import Volume1.41M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate73.3 %85.38 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3.25 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)14.91 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends25 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index97.4★59.6
Electricity Consumption2.85207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels8385★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants3★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables15★10
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity1.0850.02★
Electricity Production4.01234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)42.1 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate68.51 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-6.22 %16.75 %★
Gender Wage Gap-6.22 %★16.75 %
Gini Index Coefficient40.263★
Gross Fixed Investment19.519.5
Gross National Saving18.3★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage1.38 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries11,357.92 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-1.5 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate4 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)5.4 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.4 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption198.2★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports198.2★4.16
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption63,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports90,520521,400★
Oil Production506192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line17.1 people★55.5 people
Public Debt106.376.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.05 %0.64 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)-0.7 USD0.6 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends7 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption55,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports823105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports30,580195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production24,250487,100★
Remittances17.9★0.2
Robotics Research Funding0.05 USD0.64 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)20.54★44.62
Tax Burden (% of GDP)23.67 %23.26 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)23.67 % of GDP★23.26 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues25.726★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.39 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP9.8 %★3.7 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)9.8 %★3.7 %
Unemployment Rate4.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate69.57 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate10.81 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)332,847.5★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate3,886 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature26.67 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions7.89★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution1,149.2 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionpopulation density is high throughout, but increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivelthe 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 Adaptation21.39 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage19.9 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country5.47 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources10.8251.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species7 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization10.24 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)158.5★85.66
Agricultural land4,170 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km10,8301.21M★
Coastline Length (km)1,022 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita1.9 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land25016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country50.71 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions14★9
Corruption Perception Index44 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score44 index★41 index
Independence631★
LGBT Rights Index Score-1.2910.94★
Prison Population Rate137 per 100,000★286 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4441★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults25.8 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate94 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)80.88★96.24
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)12.5★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders71.61 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.37 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,085.37 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score74 score74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy71.61 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.3 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.7 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.81 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence13.68 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)130 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth21.222.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.68 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)24.7 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending20.25 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS32,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People1 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.550.74★
Underweight Children Under 52.5★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel6,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.37 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)6,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)35.28 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.52★0.42
Life expectancy at birth75.32 years★71.98 years
Median age of population33.25 years★29 years
Population Change-3,759.8 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density262.07 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population2.83M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.94★0.83
Beer Consumption per Capita1.28 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)16.08 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate11.45 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)7.37 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.5 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age794,250.1 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)33.41 %★22.39 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate15.98 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.57 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.49★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate1.5727.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school6.68 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population597,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)174.53★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling10.1 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio10.77 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization72.89 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.46 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.25 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0.88 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio21.98★30.33
Total deaths21,923.2 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)45.93 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.33 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-13,229.7 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate18.38 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.76 %1.34 %★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.83★0.37
Airports20573★
Civil Air Travel890★
Heliports249★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita4.31B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate5.75 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Jamaica vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 23.1 times as many people as Jamaica (65.49 million vs 2.83 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 16.1 times the size of Jamaica's ($424.75 billion vs $26.44 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Jamaica is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $9,325 in Jamaica vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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