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Kuwait vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 166 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Kuwait
kwt
Leads on 69 of 166 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 84 of 166 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 12.8 times as many people as Kuwait (65.49 million vs 5.12 million). South Africa's economy is 2.1 times the size of Kuwait's ($424.75 billion vs $199.86 billion GDP).

Comparing Kuwait and South Africa: Kuwait leads on Televisions (875,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against Kuwait (2.45); South Africa leads on Oil Exports (54,930) against Kuwait (2.13). Across 166 compared metrics, Kuwait wins on 69 and South Africa wins on 84.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 59 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 5 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 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🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration1.01 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)99.75 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)99.75 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 100% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed1.01 Mbps3.41 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score44.06 points75.71 points★
Radios1.1817★
Televisions875,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

59 metrics
Metric🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country782.32M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars199.86B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)17.72 %★15.39 %
Apple Import Volume24.97M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate74.46 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)2.75 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.68 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index88.4★59.6
Electricity Consumption57.78207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels100★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity18.8950.02★
Electricity Production65.95234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)389.85 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate49.57 %55.4 %★
Gross Fixed Investment15.319.5★
Gross National Saving35.4★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage6.32 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries48,253.97 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-5.2 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate2.36 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.9 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)4.9 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption21.72★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports5.13★4.16
Natural Gas Production17.1906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves1.78★0
Oil Consumption354,000553,000★
Oil Exports2.1354,930★
Oil Imports0521,400★
Oil Production2.45192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves104★15
Population Below Poverty LineNA55.5 people
Public Debt9.9★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.08 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)-2.6 USD0.6 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends10.52 %★7.68 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption446,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports705,500★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports0195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production915,800★487,100
Remittances00.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million176.26 researchers444.16 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.08 USD0.61 USD★
Taxes and Other Revenues41.8★26.11
Top Exporting Countries95.48B USD126.84B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.26 %★-0.51 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP0.47 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)0.47 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate2.2 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate73.37 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate15.06 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)6.35M3.23M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate42 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature26.74 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions100.46★446.7
Continental Shelfnot specific;200
Global Precipitation Distribution106.55 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributiondensest settlement is along the Persian Gulf, particularly in Kuwait City and on Bubiyan Island; significant population threads extend south and west along highways that radiate from the capital, particularly in the southern half 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 Adaptation17.08 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage17.1 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.02 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources2051.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species7 species★33 species

Geography

5 metrics
Metric🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization5.25 %★1.94 %
Agricultural land1,500 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km17,8201.21M★
Coastline Length (km)499 km2,798 km★
Irrigated Land10016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country57.28 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions69★
Corruption Perception Index46 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score46 index★41 index
Independence1931★
LGBT Rights Index Score-1.2610.94★
Prison Population Rate117 per 100,000★286 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4641★
Suffrage Participation Rate21★18

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water100 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults29 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate98 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)42.98★89.28
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)25.6★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders84.58 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.52 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita2,367.31 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score84 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy84.58 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.5 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence14.37 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)8 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density4.55 per 1,000 people★1.01 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)37.9 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending10 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS<1000 (2018 est.)7.8
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors2.09★0.78
Underweight Children Under 52.8★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel18,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)4.69 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)25,00089,000★

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)56.94 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.56★0.42
Life expectancy at birth83.34 years★71.98 years
Median age of population34.92 years★29 years
Population Change73,768.4 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density294.79 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population5.12M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.420.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)17.36 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate10.02 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)2.3 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6.4 % of GDP★6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age1.24M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)65.94 %★27.58 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate1.01 %3.41 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.33 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.40.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate327.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school7.22 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population3.3 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)172.07★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling6.62 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio3.76 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization96.55 %★79.63 %
Physician Density2.27 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.07 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums0 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio8.86★30.33
Total deaths7,044.1 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)43.04 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.38 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration30,306.4 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate7.07 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.65 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population23.93 millions39.64 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.44★0.37
Airports6573★
Civil Air Travel990★
Heliports2049★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita2.88B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇰🇼 Kuwait🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate3.5 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Kuwait vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 12.8 times as many people as Kuwait (65.49 million vs 5.12 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 2.1 times the size of Kuwait's ($424.75 billion vs $199.86 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Kuwait is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $39,053 in Kuwait vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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