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Kenya vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 172 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Kenya
ken
Leads on 63 of 172 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 101 of 172 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 12% more people than Kenya (65.49 million vs 58.63 million). South Africa's economy is 3.4 times the size of Kenya's ($424.75 billion vs $125.39 billion GDP).

Comparing Kenya and South Africa: Kenya leads on Televisions (730,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against Kenya (136); South Africa leads on Malaria Incidence Rate (0.11 cases per 1,000) against Kenya (74.17 cases per 1,000). Across 172 compared metrics, Kenya wins on 63 and South Africa wins on 101.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 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: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration3.04 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)34.98 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)22.67 %69.7 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 35% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed3.04 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score49.41 points75.71 points★
Radios3.0717★
Televisions730,000★6
WaterwaysNA note: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of KenyaNA

Economy

67 metrics
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country29.92B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars125.39B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)16.78 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume15.74M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate90.12 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)10 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)13.67 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends30 %★28 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index82.7★59.6
Electricity Consumption7.86207.1★
Electricity Exports39.1★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels3385★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants34★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables33★10
Electricity Imports184★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity2.450.02★
Electricity Production9.63234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)5.49 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate63.84 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage8.12 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap8.12 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient38.763★
Gross Fixed Investment21.9★19.5
Gross National Saving10.416.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage18.52 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries5,995.4 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.2 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate4.07 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.5 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.1 % 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
Number of AI Patents Filed1 patents3 patents★
Oil Consumption78,000553,000★
Oil Exports8,06154,930★
Oil Imports80,160521,400★
Oil Production136192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line36.1 people★55.5 people
Public Debt53.2★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.41 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.5 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends13.02 %★7.42 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption109,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports173105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports90,620195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production13,960487,100★
Remittances3.9★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million168.6 researchers444.16 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.41 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)44.5642.11★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)14.06 %★25.4 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)14.06 % of GDP25.4 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues1426★
Top Exporting Countries20.54B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.38 %0.58 %★
Tourism Contribution to GDP4.4 %★3.7 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)4.4 %★3.7 %
Unemployment Rate5.5 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate67.39 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate15.25 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)39,712★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate64,470.02 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature25.8 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions19.02★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution613.42 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionpopulation heavily concentrated in the west along the shore of Lake Victoria; other areas of high density include the capital of Nairobi, and in the southeast along the Indian Ocean coast, as shown in this population distribution mapthe 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 Adaptation14.38 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage13.9 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country3.5 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources30.751.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species32 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization7.44 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)200.38★85.66
Agricultural land288,791 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km580,876.31.21M★
Coastline Length (km)536 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita419.81 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land1,03016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country47.74 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions47★9
Corruption Perception Index32 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score32 index41 index★
Independence1231★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.410.94★
Prison Population Rate81 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception32★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults22.1 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate88 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)3.17.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders63.83 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.63 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita327.76 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score57 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy63.83 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate4 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.4 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.4 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence9.97 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate74.17 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)379 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth19.822.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density2.02 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)7.1 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending24.25 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS1.4★7.8
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.240.79★
Underweight Children Under 59.84.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel24,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.07 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)24,00089,000★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)52.3 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.56★0.42
Life expectancy at birth67.26 years71.98 years★
Median age of population20.29 years29 years★
Population Change1.15M persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density100.9 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population58.63M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.86★0.83
Beer Consumption per Capita0.86 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)25.93 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate64.6 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate26.97 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)4.72 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age15.72M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)7.3 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate3.04 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth101.52 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.310.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate23.7827.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.74 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population5.33 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)169.64★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling6.73 years10.47 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio4.88 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization77.4 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.29 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.15 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums39.89 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.6530.33★
Total deaths399,364.9 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)52.14 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.07 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-11,734 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate36.49 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.92 %★1.34 %

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.110.37★
Airports368573★
Civil Air Travel1990★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita1.74B USD5.96B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇰🇪 Kenya🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate8.75 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Kenya vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 12% more people than Kenya (65.49 million vs 58.63 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 3.4 times the size of Kenya's ($424.75 billion vs $125.39 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $2,139 in Kenya (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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