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Lebanon vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 169 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Lebanon
lbn
Leads on 64 of 169 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 96 of 169 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 11.1 times as many people as Lebanon (65.49 million vs 5.89 million).

Comparing Lebanon and South Africa: South Africa leads on Annual Forest Area Change Rate (87,566 %) against Lebanon (96.00 %); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Lebanon (2,700); Lebanon leads on Remittances (33.30) against South Africa (0.20). Across 169 compared metrics, Lebanon wins on 64 and South Africa wins on 96.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 63 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: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration7.29 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★3.12 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)80.63 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)83.49 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 84% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed7.29 Mbps★3.12 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score42.62 points75.71 points★
Radios2.8517★
Televisions1.186★
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

63 metrics
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.02B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars-7.38B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)1.9 %15.39 %★
Apple Import Volume919,107 tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate23.04 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)10 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)8.29 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.4 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index78.2★59.6
Electricity Consumption15.71207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels88★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants11★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports69★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity2.3550.02★
Electricity Production17.59234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)43.11 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate25.42 %54.26 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-35.81 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap-35.81 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient31.863★
Gross Fixed Investment34★19.5
Gross National Saving-0.716.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage38.57 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries10,469.22 USD13,597.65 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate14.6 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)45.2 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.9 % 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
Oil Consumption106,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports78,760521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line27.4 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)1.21 % of GDP12.02 % of GDP★
Public Debt146.876.2★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)-0.8 USD0.6 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends6.17 %★5.27 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption154,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports151,100195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances33.3★0.2
Tax Burden (% of GDP)11.14 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)11.14 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues5.726★
Top Exporting Countries6.13B USD126.84B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)7.09 %★0.58 %
Total Number of Billionaires67★
Tourism Contribution to GDP2 %2.11 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2 %2.11 %★
Unemployment Rate11.6 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate43.42 %★55.02 %
Youth Unemployment Rate22.74 %★60.26 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)91,168★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate96 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature16.99 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions17.48★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution421.58 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionthe majority of people live on or near the Mediterranean coast, particularly in and around the capital of Beirutthe 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 Adaptation13.78 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage13 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country3.2 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources4.551.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species10 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization25.39 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)61.2785.66★
Agricultural land6,871.28 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km10,2301.21M★
Coastline Length (km)225 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita41.62 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land1,04016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country5.14 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions89★
Corruption Perception Index22 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score22 index41 index★
Independence2231★
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.3510.94★
Prison Population Rate98 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception22★41
Suffrage Participation Rate21★18

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water47.7 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults27.9 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate67 %76 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)10.88★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)12.3★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders77.95 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.95 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita-460 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score67 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10.1 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy77.95 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.1%18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.7 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita3.45 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence12.6 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)15 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density1.92 per 1,000 people★1.2 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)32 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending29.7 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS2,7007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People1 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors2.61★0.78
Underweight Children Under 55.14.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel60,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.51 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)80,00089,000★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)50.06 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.49★0.42
Life expectancy at birth81.34 years★71.98 years
Median age of population28.98 years29 years★
Population Change51,281.2 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density574.34 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population5.89M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.620.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.47 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)16.73 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate15.96 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.23 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.45M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)57.14 %★26.59 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate7.29 %★3.12 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.07 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.40.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate1.9427.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.36 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population2.42 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)174.39★166.68
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio15.48 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization90.14 %★79.63 %
Physician Density2.68 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.77 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums4.53 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio12.33★32.77
Total deaths30,414.6 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)38.77 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.19 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-9,989.4 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate18.24 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.03 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population66.34 millions★56.57 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.88★0.37
Airports8573★
Civil Air Travel1990★
Heliports2749★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita5.58B USD5.96B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇱🇧 Lebanon🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate20 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Lebanon vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 11.1 times as many people as Lebanon (65.49 million vs 5.89 million). Data for 2026.

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