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Madagascar vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

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

Madagascar
mdg
Leads on 49 of 172 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 112 of 172 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 2.0 times as many people as Madagascar (65.49 million vs 33.52 million). South Africa's economy is 22.0 times the size of Madagascar's ($424.75 billion vs $19.31 billion GDP).

Comparing Madagascar and South Africa: Madagascar leads on Televisions (325,000) against South Africa (6); Madagascar leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (675,400) against South Africa (50.02); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Madagascar (42,000). Across 172 compared metrics, Madagascar wins on 49 and South Africa wins on 112.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 64 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇬 Madagascar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.12 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)18.68 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)20.37 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 20% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.12 Mbps3.41 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score50.8 points75.71 points★
Radios3.0517★
Televisions325,000★6
Waterwaysof local importance onlyNA

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇲🇬 Madagascar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country3.45B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars19.31B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)22.22 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume768,875 tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate24.45 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)9.5 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)60 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index88.5★59.6
Electricity Consumption1.59207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7485★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants24★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables210★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity675,400★50.02
Electricity Production1.71234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)1.82 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate84.6 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-9.47 %20 %★
Gender Wage Gap-9.47 %★20 %
Gini Index Coefficient42.663★
Gross Fixed Investment18.719.5★
Gross National Saving14.816.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage3.66 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries1,668.48 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.7 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate8.05 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)9.9 %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 Consumption22,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports16,390521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line70.7 people55.5 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)14.82 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt38.4★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.01 %0.76 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.2 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends47.63 %★7.68 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption18,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports18,880195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances2.4★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million32.94 researchers500.79 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.01 USD0.76 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)65.2929.54★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)10.94 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)10.94 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues9.626★
Top Exporting Countries4.05B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.45 %★0.58 %
Unemployment Rate3.1 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate85.5 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate5.25 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇲🇬 Madagascar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)81,610★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-124,277.93 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature23.12 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions3.94★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution1,464.86 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionmost of population lives on the eastern half of the island; significant clustering is found in the central highlands and eastern coastline, 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 Adaptation14.34 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage12.8 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country55 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources337★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species133 species33 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇲🇬 Madagascar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.46 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)163.2★85.66
Agricultural land408,950 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km581,8001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)4,828 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita14.46 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land10,86016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇬 Madagascar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country20.9 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions69★
Corruption Perception Index26 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score26 index41 index★
Independence2631★
LGBT Rights Index Score0.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate99 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception26★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇲🇬 Madagascar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water22.06 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults21.5 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate46 %76 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)4.67.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders63.84 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.84 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita68.78 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score33 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy63.84 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.4 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.2 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita0.33 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence18.71 %16.64 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate255.45 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)445 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth19.522.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.28 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.3 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending27.42 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS42,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.170.79★
Underweight Children Under 522.64.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇬 Madagascar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel14,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.62 %★0.74 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)22,00089,000★

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇲🇬 Madagascar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)60 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.390.42★
Life expectancy at birth66.35 years71.98 years★
Median age of population19.36 years29 years★
Population Change790,985.3 persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density57.57 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population33.52M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.680.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA
Beer Consumption per Capita0.4 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)27.54 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate49.7 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate31.71 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.95 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age8.33M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)6.22 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.12 %3.41 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.21 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.240.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate16.5227.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school4.18 years4.88 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population3.87 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)161.55166.68★
Military Manpower at Military Age20★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio5.84 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization45.35 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.17 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.15 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums60.89 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio41.1930.33★
Total deaths242,777.7 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)53.67 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.78 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-2,235.8 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate62.91 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.83 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population32.49 millions39.64 millions★

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇬 Madagascar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.060.37★
Airports93573★
Civil Air Travel890★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇲🇬 Madagascar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita405.44M USD4.96B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Madagascar vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 2.0 times as many people as Madagascar (65.49 million vs 33.52 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 22.0 times the size of Madagascar's ($424.75 billion vs $19.31 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $576.01 in Madagascar (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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