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Luxembourg vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 172 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Luxembourg
lux
Leads on 94 of 172 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 69 of 172 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 95.2 times as many people as Luxembourg (65.49 million vs 687,871). South Africa's economy is 4.2 times the size of Luxembourg's ($424.75 billion vs $101.23 billion GDP).

Comparing Luxembourg and South Africa: Luxembourg leads on Televisions (285,000) against South Africa (6); Luxembourg leads on Radios (285,000) against South Africa (17); Luxembourg leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (350,000) against South Africa (27.77). Across 172 compared metrics, Luxembourg wins on 94 and South Africa wins on 69.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration40.32 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)98.76 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)99.35 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 99% (2024 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed40.32 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score83.04 points★75.71 points
Radios285,000★17
Televisions285,000★6
Waterways37NA

Economy

65 metrics
Metric🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country208.54M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars101.23B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)15.84 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume5.67M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate98.77 %★69.22 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)1.9 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends26.01 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index88.8★59.6
Electricity Consumption6.48207.1★
Electricity Exports1.4216.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels2585★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants8★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables67★10
Electricity Imports7.7210.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity1.7150.02★
Electricity Production334.5★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)224.65 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate71.45 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient32.763★
Gross Fixed Investment21.3★19.5
Gross National Saving22.3★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage45.85 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries127,420.6 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-1.1 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate2.26 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.1 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption792.8★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports792.8★4.16
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Number of AI Patents Filed38 patents★22 patents
Oil Consumption60,500553,000★
Oil Exports68654,930★
Oil Imports51,930521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line17.3 people★55.5 people
Public Debt23★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.07 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption59,850621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports59,020195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances2.6★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million5,311.53 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding1.07 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.16★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)28.64 %25.88 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)28.64 % of GDP★25.88 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues27.2★26
Top Exporting Countries178.66B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-92.82 %-0.51 %★
Total Number of Billionaires17★
Tourism Contribution to GDP0.8 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)0.8 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate6 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate61.5 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate21.47 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)199,050★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature10.39 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions8.72★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution836.72 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionmost people live in the south, on or near the border with Francethe 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 Adaptation35.69 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage39.1 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.08 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources3.551.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species0 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization12.35 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)180.7★85.66
Agricultural land1,339.89 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km2,574.461.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita88.05 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country99.85 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions12★9
Corruption Perception Index81 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score81 index★41 index
Independence183★31
LGBT Rights Index Score8.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate87 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception8141★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water99.65 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate99 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)9.61★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)5.87.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders83.2 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.33 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita9,645.73 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score83 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy83.2 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.2 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density4.7 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita5.36 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence7.75 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)12 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth30.2★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density13.71 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.6 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending8.77 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS1,2007.8★
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)4.78 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors2.98★0.78
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel1,000 personnel75,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.85 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)1,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)50.75 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.68★0.42
Life expectancy at birth84.26 years★71.98 years
Median age of population39.66 years★29 years
Population Change5,388.1 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density267.36 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population687,871 persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.92★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsC★A
Beer Consumption per Capita3.76 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)9.24 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate9.5 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.66 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.7 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age163,529.1 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)23.45 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate40.32 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.79 male/female★103.52 male/female
Labor Force Participation Rate350,000★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school9.59 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother180 days★0 days
Major Urban Areas Population120,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)177.86★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling11.53 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age19★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio21.85 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization72.13 %79.63 %★
Physician Density2.98 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.26 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums0.02 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio8.46★30.33
Total deaths5,121.9 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total fertility rate1.41 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration3,400.1 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate3.38 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.5 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population53.2 millions56.57 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)3.7★0.37
Airports3573★
Civil Air Travel1390★
Heliports1149★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.68B USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Luxembourg vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 95.2 times as many people as Luxembourg (65.49 million vs 687,871). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 4.2 times the size of Luxembourg's ($424.75 billion vs $101.23 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Luxembourg is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $147,170 in Luxembourg vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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