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Kiribati vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 139 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Kiribati
kir
Leads on 51 of 139 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 78 of 139 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 473 times as many people as Kiribati (65.49 million vs 138,459). South Africa's economy is 1,230 times the size of Kiribati's ($424.75 billion vs $345.45 million GDP).

Comparing Kiribati and South Africa: South Africa leads on Top Exporting Countries (126.84 billion USD) against Kiribati (17.09 million USD); Kiribati leads on Major Urban Areas Population (64,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); South Africa leads on Tourism Receipts per Capita (6.72 billion USD) against Kiribati (2.10 million USD). Across 139 compared metrics, Kiribati wins on 51 and South Africa wins on 78.

  • Communications: 8 metrics compared
  • Economy: 48 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 5 metrics compared
  • Government: 6 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 33 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

8 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.03 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)89.44 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)88 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 88% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.03 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Radios17,000★17
Televisions1,000★6
Waterways5NA

Economy

48 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country62.32M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars345.45M $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)25.85 %★15.39 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)12.1 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index78.4★59.6
Electricity Consumption26.97207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7385★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables27★10
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity11,000★50.02
Electricity Production29234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)8.58 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Gini Index Coefficient27.863★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries3,364 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-6.2 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate2.46 %★4.36 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)9.3 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)NA1.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption300553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports284521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line21.9 people★55.5 people
Public Debt22.9★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5.3 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption400621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports420195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances4★0.2
Tax Burden (% of GDP)17.53 %★25.4 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)17.53 % of GDP25.4 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues17.726★
Top Exporting Countries17.09M USD126.84B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.19 %★-0.51 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP0.72 %3.7 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)0.72 %3.7 %★
Unemployment Rate30.6 %★33.56 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3,169★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature26.25 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions81,000446.7★
Global Precipitation Distribution592.83 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionconsists of three archipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, but the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth, with the mthe 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 Adaptation23.05 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage22.9 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources051.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species2 species★33 species

Geography

5 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.25 %★1.94 %
Agricultural land340 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km8101.21M★
Coastline Length (km)1,143 km2,798 km★
Irrigated Land016,700★

Government

6 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country59.99 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions39★
Independence1231★
LGBT Rights Index Score0.6110.94★
Prison Population Rate113 per 100,000★291 per 100,000
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water15.09 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults29 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate79 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)24.6★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.6 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.86 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita461.87 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score51 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)14.8 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.6 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.9 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.32 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence9.03 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)80 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth23.1★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density3.63 per 1,000 people★1.2 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)46 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending2.91 %★6.69 %
People Living With HIV/AIDSNA7.8
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People1 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.190.73★
Underweight Children Under 56.94.9★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel0 personnel74,000 personnel★

People and Society

33 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)65.71 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.56★0.42
Life expectancy at birth69.48 years71.98 years★
Median age of population23.1 years29 years★
Population Change1,922.9 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density190.85 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population138,459 persons65.49M persons★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.24 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)19.4 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate33.5 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate25.31 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.88 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)16.4 % of GDP★6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age36,151.8 persons18.20M persons★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.03 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.31 male/female★103.52 male/female
Labor Force Participation Rate39,000★22.4
Learning-adjusted years of school8.03 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population64,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)169.2★166.68
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.76 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization66.1 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.2 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.98 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums3.37 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio26.37★32.77
Total deaths922.7 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)40.09 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.06 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-523.4 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate51.97 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.92 %★1.34 %

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.190.37★
Airports21573★
Civil Air Travel290★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita2.10M USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Kiribati vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 473 times as many people as Kiribati (65.49 million vs 138,459). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 1,230 times the size of Kiribati's ($424.75 billion vs $345.45 million GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $2,495 in Kiribati (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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