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Liberia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 157 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Liberia
lbr
Leads on 43 of 157 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 103 of 157 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 11.2 times as many people as Liberia (65.49 million vs 5.85 million). South Africa's economy is 75.8 times the size of Liberia's ($424.75 billion vs $5.61 billion GDP).

Comparing Liberia and South Africa: Liberia leads on Radios (790,000) against South Africa (17); Liberia leads on Televisions (70,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Liberia (35,000). Across 157 compared metrics, Liberia wins on 43 and South Africa wins on 103.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 52 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 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

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇱🇷 Liberia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.27 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants3.12 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)32.23 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)23.5 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 24% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.27 Mbps3.12 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score66.61 points75.71 points★
Radios790,000★17
Televisions70,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

52 metrics
Metric🇱🇷 Liberia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.51B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars5.61B $424.75B $★
Bank Account Ownership Rate52.21 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3.2 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)13.3 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends25 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.7 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index88.9★59.6
Electricity Consumption279★207.1
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels5785★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants43★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity151,000★50.02
Electricity Production300★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)1.82 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate73.48 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient35.363★
Gross National SavingNA% | -21.9% of GDP | 1.9% of GDP | 18416.1
Highest GDP per Capita Countries1,692.93 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)6.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate8.32 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)10.1 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption4,500553,000★
Oil Exports2354,930★
Oil Imports4,552521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line50.9 people★55.5 people
Public Debt28.3★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.8 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends16.29 %★4.65 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption8,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports8,181195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances18.2★0.2
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)31.7531.21★
Taxes and Other Revenues16.923.3★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)9.87 %★0.58 %
Unemployment Rate2.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate76.58 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate2.3 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇱🇷 Liberia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)25,368★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-40,579.98 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature25.68 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions671,000446.7★
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution2,397.82 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionmore than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one third living within an 80-km (50-mi) radius of Monrovia, 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 Adaptation3.97 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage4 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country45 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources232★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species26 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇱🇷 Liberia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.07 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)205.4★85.66
Agricultural land19,391.8 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km96,3201.21M★
Coastline Length (km)579 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita40.55 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land3016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇱🇷 Liberia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country19.87 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions15★9
Corruption Perception Index27 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score27 index41 index★
Independence2631★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.3410.94★
Prison Population Rate60 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception27★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇱🇷 Liberia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults23.1 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate82 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)9.2★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders62.32 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.42 per 1,000 births1.87 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita301.33 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score49 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)16.6 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy62.32 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.1 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.8 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita0.8 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence19.88 %16.64 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate172.34 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)628 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth1922.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.01 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)9.9 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending63.24 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS35,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.180.79★
Underweight Children Under 510.94.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇱🇷 Liberia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel2,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.85 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)2,00089,000★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇱🇷 Liberia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)48.2 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.320.42★
Life expectancy at birth64.25 years71.98 years★
Median age of population18.92 years29 years★
Population Change122,360.6 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density60.72 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population5.85M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.610.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.3 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)31.72 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate24.9 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate30.58 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)8.17 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)2.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.46M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)8.24 %21.13 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.27 %3.12 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth102.94 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.290.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate2.6127.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school1.96 years4.88 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.68 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)163.66166.68★
Mean Years of Schooling5.8 years10.47 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio5.78 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization59.09 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.18 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.27 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums57.94 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.4530.33★
Total deaths45,618.5 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)52.85 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.72 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-7,544.8 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate67.31 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.06 %★1.34 %

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇱🇷 Liberia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.020.37★
Airports19573★
Civil Air Travel190★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇱🇷 Liberia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita4.37M USD4.96B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Liberia vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 11.2 times as many people as Liberia (65.49 million vs 5.85 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 75.8 times the size of Liberia's ($424.75 billion vs $5.61 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $958.22 in Liberia (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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