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Geo Factbook

Latvia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

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

Latvia
lva
Leads on 84 of 173 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 78 of 173 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 35.7 times as many people as Latvia (65.49 million vs 1.84 million). South Africa's economy is 8.6 times the size of Latvia's ($424.75 billion vs $49.29 billion GDP).

Comparing Latvia and South Africa: Latvia leads on Major Urban Areas Population (621,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Latvia leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (954,900) against South Africa (27.77); South Africa leads on Irrigated Land (16,700) against Latvia (6). Across 173 compared metrics, Latvia wins on 84 and South Africa wins on 78.

  • 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: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇱🇻 Latvia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration25.75 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)92.71 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)92.19 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 92% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed25.75 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score81.82 points★75.71 points
Radios1.7617★
Televisions1.226★
Waterways300NA

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇱🇻 Latvia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.70B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars49.29B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)20.89 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume18.96M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate94.97 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)2.58 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends20 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index94.1★59.6
Electricity Consumption6.8207.1★
Electricity Exports3.816.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels3985★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants53★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables810★
Electricity Imports4.8310.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity2.9350.02★
Electricity Production6.24234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)65.91 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate74.51 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient34.363★
Gross Fixed Investment22.2★19.5
Gross National Saving20.7★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage41.37 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries38,800.54 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-4 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate3.75 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.3 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3.7 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption1.225.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports1.254.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Number of AI Patents Filed1 patents6 patents★
Oil Consumption41,000553,000★
Oil Exports3,45754,930★
Oil Imports37,520521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line22.5 people★55.5 people
Public Debt36.3★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.81 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)-0.4 USD0.6 USD★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption44,600621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports16,180105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports54,370195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances3.1★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million2,270.08 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.81 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)1.12★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)17.65 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)17.65 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues16.726★
Top Exporting Countries28.54B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.5 %★-0.51 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.6 %★2.26 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.6 %★2.26 %
Unemployment Rate6.8 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate60.52 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate12.95 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇱🇻 Latvia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-127,994★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate6,566.02 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature7.95 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions6.43★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution833.21 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionlargest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout 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 Adaptation18.83 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage18.8 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.7 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources34.9451.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species1 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇱🇻 Latvia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.99 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)128.13★85.66
Agricultural land20,058 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km62,2301.21M★
Coastline Length (km)498 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita548.72 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land616,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇱🇻 Latvia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country83.95 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions36★9
Corruption Perception Index59 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score59 index★41 index
Independence1831★
LGBT Rights Index Score2.9210.94★
Prison Population Rate179 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception5941★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇱🇻 Latvia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water97.01 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate98 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)16.17★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.17.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.43 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.32 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita4,106.96 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score77 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.43 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.7 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density5.6 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita5.68 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence4.23 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)19 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth26.4★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density4.37 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)23.6 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending35.06 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS5,6007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People13 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)4.32 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors3.4★0.79
Underweight Children Under 50.3★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇱🇻 Latvia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel7,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)3.61 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)9,00089,000★

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇱🇻 Latvia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)47.4 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.75★0.42
Life expectancy at birth81.82 years★71.98 years
Median age of population43.65 years★29 years
Population Change-19,647.5 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density29.78 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population1.84M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.93★0.83
Beer Consumption per Capita4.36 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)7.24 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate6.9 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)14.68 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age381,057.45 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)101.5 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate25.75 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.39 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.69★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate954,900★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school11.63 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population621,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)181.42★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling11.96 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligationmandatory military service for all men 18-24; men and women 18-27 may volunteer for military service; service length 11 months in the Armed Forces or National Guard, or 5 years in the National Guard as a whole, with a minimum of 21 days of individual trai18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio33.86 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization58.52 %79.63 %★
Physician Density3.4 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-1.27 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0.26 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio11.13★30.33
Total deaths24,417.4 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)63.77 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.24 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-7,474 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate3.24 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.77 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population51.69 millions53.77 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇱🇻 Latvia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.45★0.37
Airports55573★
Civil Air TravelNA major transport aircraft90
Heliports549★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇱🇻 Latvia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita1.34B USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Latvia vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 35.7 times as many people as Latvia (65.49 million vs 1.84 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 8.6 times the size of Latvia's ($424.75 billion vs $49.29 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Latvia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $26,856 in Latvia vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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