Jordan vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 173 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

South Africa has 5.7 times as many people as Jordan (65.49 million vs 11.49 million). South Africa's economy is 7.3 times the size of Jordan's ($424.75 billion vs $58.28 billion GDP).

Comparing Jordan and South Africa: Jordan leads on Televisions (500,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against Jordan (88); Jordan leads on Apple Import Volume (45.18 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes). Across 173 compared metrics, Jordan wins on 79 and South Africa wins on 85.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 8 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 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🇯🇴 Jordan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration7.02 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)95.62 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)92.53 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 93% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed7.02 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score35.25 points75.71 points★
Radios1.6617★
Televisions500,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇯🇴 Jordan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.50B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars58.28B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)25.18 %★12.84 %
Apple Import Volume45.18M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate46.46 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3.75 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)8.65 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index84.5★59.6
Electricity Consumption16.82207.1★
Electricity Exports50★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels87★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables12★10
Electricity Imports334★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity4.7650.02★
Electricity Production18.6234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)32.91 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate17.26 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-13.74 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap-13.74 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient33.763★
Gross Fixed Investment28.9★19.5
Gross National Saving9.116.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage40.26 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries10,794.24 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.7 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate1.77 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.6 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)4.5 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption5.24★5.07
Natural Gas Exports1.36★0
Natural Gas Imports6.46★4.16
Natural Gas Production121.8906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves6.03★0
Number of AI Patents Filed2 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption98,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports111,700521,400★
Oil Production88192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves115★
Population Below Poverty Line15.7 people★55.5 people
Public Debt102.876.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.7 %0.75 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.5 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends5.75 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption139,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports68,460195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production67,240487,100★
Remittances8.8★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million576.01 researchers★516.54 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.7 USD0.75 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.1★29.54
Tax Burden (% of GDP)15.52 %★25.4 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)15.52 % of GDP25.4 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues1726★
Top Exporting Countries22.73B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.79 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP5.9 %★2.76 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)5.9 %★2.76 %
Unemployment Rate18 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate40.05 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate38.88 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇯🇴 Jordan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)99,874★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature20.48 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions22.43★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution74.18 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionpopulation heavily concentrated in the west, and particularly the northwest, in and around the capital of Amman; a sizeable but smaller population is located in the southwest along the shore of the Gulf of Aqabathe 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 Adaptation5.67 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage5.4 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.54 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources937★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species13 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇯🇴 Jordan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.76 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)56.985.66★
Agricultural land10,480 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km88,7941.21M★
Coastline Length (km)26 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita22.55 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land87516,700★

Government

8 metrics
Metric🇯🇴 Jordan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country58.72 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions12★9
Corruption Perception Index49 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score49 index★41 index
Independence2531★
LGBT Rights Index Score2.0710.94★
Public Sector Corruption Perception4941★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇯🇴 Jordan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water88.95 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults28.3 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate99 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)24.06★96.29
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)20.5★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders77.98 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.72 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita884.81 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score74 score74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy77.98 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.5 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.61 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence18.94 %16.64 %★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)31 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth24.7★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density3.09 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)35.5 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending34.47 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS<1,000 (2020 est.)7.8
Total Number of Doctors2.85★0.79
Underweight Children Under 52.5★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇯🇴 Jordan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel101,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)4.56 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)116,000★89,000

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇯🇴 Jordan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)54.65 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.55★0.42
Life expectancy at birth81.97 years★71.98 years
Median age of population25.05 years29 years★
Population Change-125,168.1 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density132.09 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population11.49M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.170.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.06 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)21.9 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate51.8 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate20.45 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)3.5 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.5 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age3.03M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)40.41 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate7.02 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.66 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.420.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate3.0827.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school7.41 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population2.23 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)171.03★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling10.81 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1718★
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.71 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization93.79 %★79.63 %
Physician Density2.85 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.68 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums75.9 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio16.91★32.77
Total deaths33,057.8 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)39.83 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.53 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-325,171.8 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate12.54 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.28 %1.42 %★
Voting Age Population23.17 millions39.64 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇯🇴 Jordan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.41★0.37
Airports18573★
Civil Air Travel2390★
Heliports649★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇯🇴 Jordan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita8.63B USD★5.96B USD

Other

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Jordan vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 5.7 times as many people as Jordan (65.49 million vs 11.49 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 7.3 times the size of Jordan's ($424.75 billion vs $58.28 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $5,073 in Jordan (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons