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Kazakhstan vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 176 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Kazakhstan
kaz
Leads on 93 of 176 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 72 of 176 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 3.1 times as many people as Kazakhstan (65.49 million vs 21.09 million). South Africa's economy is 21% larger than Kazakhstan's ($424.75 billion vs $351.61 billion GDP).

Comparing Kazakhstan and South Africa: South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against Kazakhstan (1.61); South Africa leads on Oil Exports (54,930) against Kazakhstan (1.50); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Kazakhstan (35,000). Across 176 compared metrics, Kazakhstan wins on 93 and South Africa wins on 72.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 64 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 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🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration15.32 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)93.39 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)92.88 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 93% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed15.32 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score39.34 points75.71 points★
Radios6.4717★
Televisions3.886★
Waterways3,900NA

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country15.21B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars351.61B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)27.21 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume140.58M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate87.05 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)11 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue0.992.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)14.17 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index94.4★59.6
Electricity Consumption94.23207.1★
Electricity Exports5.116.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels86★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants14★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports1.3210.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity20.1550.02★
Electricity Production100.8234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)172.94 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate73.35 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient29.263★
Gross Fixed Investment21.6★19.5
Gross National Saving23.7★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage45 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries37,850.58 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)6.6 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate11.39 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)8.8 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.9 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption15.37★5.07
Natural Gas Exports12.8★0
Natural Gas Imports5.75★4.16
Natural Gas Production22.41906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves2.41★0
Oil Consumption249,000553,000★
Oil Exports1.554,930★
Oil Imports172,500521,400★
Oil Production1.61192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves30★15
Population Below Poverty Line5.2 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)25.67 % of GDP★14.47 % of GDP
Public Debt20.9★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.12 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.8 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption274,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,900★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports39,120195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production290,700487,100★
Remittances0.10.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million661.69 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.12 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.07★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)11.89 %★25.4 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)11.89 % of GDP25.4 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues11.926★
Top Exporting Countries92.07B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-0.3 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires67★
Tourism Contribution to GDP1 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)1 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate4.8 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate67.77 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate3.81 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)831,040★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate13,900 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature8.95 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions269.83★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution309.42 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionmost of the country displays a low population density, particularly the interior; population clusters appear in urban agglomerations in the far northern and southern portions of the countrythe 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 Adaptation10.13 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage10.1 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country33.85 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources108.41★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species17 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.27 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)82.4785.66★
Agricultural land2.13M sq. km★963,410 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km2.70M★1.21M
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita3,759.33 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land17,794★16,700

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country38.11 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions17★9
Corruption Perception Index40 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score40 index41 index★
Independence1631★
LGBT Rights Index Score2.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate157 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception40★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water91.55 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults26.3 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate93 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)34.74★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.87.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders74.53 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.43 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,985.05 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score83 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy74.53 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density6.1 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita7.07 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence5.29 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0 cases per 1,000★0.11 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)10 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth25★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density6.71 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)21 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending27.64 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS35,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People4 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors3.72★0.79
Underweight Children Under 52★5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel39,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.43 %★0.74 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)71,00089,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)59.9 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.76★0.42
Life expectancy at birth80.45 years★71.98 years
Median age of population29.78 years★29 years
Population Change242,547.2 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density7.83 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population21.09M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.330.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA
Beer Consumption per Capita2.63 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)16.83 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate53 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate19.52 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)8.1 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.8 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age4.95M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)59.93 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate15.32 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.23 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.390.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate10.2927.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school11.59 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.99 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)171.14★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling11.79 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligationmen 18-27 are subject to conscription for 12-24 months; conscripts may be assigned to the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the Border Service, the State Security Service, or the Ministry of Emergency Situations; women may volunteer (2025)18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio13.36 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization77.77 %79.63 %★
Physician Density3.75 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.83 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums-2.21 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio16.2★30.33
Total deaths118,494.6 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)52.82 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.82 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-12,369.5 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate7.1 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.72 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population70.09 millions★47.28 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.370.37
Airports132573★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air TravelNA major transport aircraft90
Heliports3249★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita2.82B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate18 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Kazakhstan vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 3.1 times as many people as Kazakhstan (65.49 million vs 21.09 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 21% larger than Kazakhstan's ($424.75 billion vs $351.61 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Kazakhstan is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $16,668 in Kazakhstan vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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