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Geo Factbook

Japan vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 175 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Japan
jpn
Leads on 111 of 175 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 56 of 175 metrics

Summary

Japan has 87% more people than South Africa (122.45 million vs 65.49 million). Japan's economy is 7.9 times the size of South Africa's ($3.37 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing Japan and South Africa: South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Imports (195,200) against Japan (1.10); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (621,000) against Japan (3.89); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against Japan (3.47). Across 175 compared metrics, Japan wins on 111 and South Africa wins on 56.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 64 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration38.63 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)85.54 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)86.98 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 87% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed38.63 Mbps★3.41 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score63.14 points75.71 points★
Radios120.5★17
Televisions86.5★6
Waterways1,770NA

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country34.16B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars3.37T $★424.75B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)26.18 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume8.06M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate98.52 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0.3 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)1.48 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends29.74 %★28 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)11 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index86.1★59.6
Electricity Consumption943.7★207.1
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7185★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants8★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels14★
Electricity from Other Renewables20★10
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity295.9★50.02
Electricity Production989.3★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)129.5 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate76.97 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient32.963★
Gross Fixed Investment21.1★19.5
Gross National Saving28★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage78.43 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries48,283.37 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.4 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate3.17 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.7 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.4 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption127.2★5.07
Natural Gas Exports169.9★0
Natural Gas Imports116.6★4.16
Natural Gas Production3.06906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves20.9★0
Number of AI Patents Filed4,270 patents★22 patents
Oil Consumption4.45553,000★
Oil Exports366,800★54,930
Oil Imports4.39521,400★
Oil Production131,800192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves44.12★15
Population Below Poverty Line16.1 people★55.5 people
Public Debt215.976.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)3.4 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.1 USD0.6 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends0.97 %4.65 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption3.89621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports370,900★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports1.1195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production3.47487,100★
Remittances0.10.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million5,629.8 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding3.4 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.74★31.21
Taxes and Other Revenues35.2★26.11
Top Exporting Countries917.04B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.03 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires41★7
Tourism Contribution to GDP1.2 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)1.2 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate2.6 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate63.45 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate3.9 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-25.04M★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-2,200 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature12.86 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions960.23446.7★
Global Precipitation Distribution1,641.6 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionall primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast; one third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain)the 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 Adaptation29.6 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage29.7 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country27 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources430★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species29 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization12.59 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)113★85.66
Agricultural land45,206 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km364,569.281.21M★
Coastline Length (km)29,751 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita255.33 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land15,73016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country95.09 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions47★9
Corruption Perception Index71 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score71 index★41 index
Independence331★
LGBT Rights Index Score3.9410.94★
Prison Population Rate37 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception7141★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water98.73 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults23.6 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate95 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)5.09★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)8.1★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders84.04 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.17 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita6,401.77 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score86 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10.8 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy84.04 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density13.1 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita13.5 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence11.3 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)3 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth30.3★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density12.98 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)4.3 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending12.24 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS30,0007.8★
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)9.16 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors2.65★0.79
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel247,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.41 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)261,000★89,000

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)45.75 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.82★0.42
Life expectancy at birth88.16 years★71.98 years
Median age of population50.21 years★29 years
Population Change-619,033.8 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density324.98 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population122.45M persons★65.49M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.760.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsA-B★A
Beer Consumption per Capita1.21 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)6.84 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate39.8 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate5.7 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)12.04 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age22.27M persons★18.20M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)63.63 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate38.63 %★3.41 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.06 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.86★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate69.38★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school12.03 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother309 days★0 days
Major Urban Areas Population37.19 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)170.82★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling12.83 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio50.12 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization91.43 %★79.63 %
Physician Density2.65 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.45 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums2 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio16.18★30.33
Total deaths1.56M persons540,582.7 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)59.68 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.19 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration220,640.4 persons★39,599.6 persons
Under-five mortality rate2.28 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.37 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population51.35 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.25★0.37
Airports280573★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)1★0
Civil Air Travel360★90
Heliports3,036★49

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita58.63B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇯🇵 Japan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate0.75 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Japan vs South Africa

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

Japan. Japan has 87% more people than South Africa (122.45 million vs 65.49 million). Data for 2026.

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

Japan. Japan's economy is 7.9 times the size of South Africa's ($3.37 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Japan is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $27,502 in Japan vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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