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Malaysia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 174 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Malaysia
mys
Leads on 100 of 174 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 66 of 174 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 80% more people than Malaysia (65.49 million vs 36.4 million). Malaysia's economy is 10% larger than South Africa's ($466.53 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing Malaysia and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Malaysia (92,000); Malaysia leads on Apple Import Volume (101.62 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); South Africa leads on Coal Revenue (2.40) against Malaysia (0.02). Across 174 compared metrics, Malaysia wins on 100 and South Africa wins on 66.

  • Communications: 8 metrics compared
  • Economy: 69 metrics compared
  • Environment: 10 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 2 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

8 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Internet Penetration Rate (%)98.02 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)97.69 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 98% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed13.55 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score56.09 points75.71 points★
Radios10.917★
Televisions10.8★6
Waterways7,296NA

Economy

69 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country47.38B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars466.53B $★424.75B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)21.95 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume101.62M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate88.69 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.022.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.61 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends24 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index83.3★59.6
Electricity Consumption136.9207.1★
Electricity Exports316.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7885★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants18★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables410★
Electricity Imports33★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity3350.02★
Electricity Production148.3234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)113.16 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate56.67 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-2.25 %20 %★
Gender Wage Gap-2.25 %★20 %
Gini Index Coefficient40.763★
Gross Fixed Investment25.2★19.5
Gross National Saving28.5★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage63.18 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries35,461.45 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.9 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate1.38 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.8 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption30.44★5.07
Natural Gas Exports38.23★0
Natural Gas Imports2.84.16★
Natural Gas Production69.49906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves1.18★0
Number of AI Patents Filed5 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption561,000★553,000
Oil Exports644,900★54,930
Oil Imports355,300521,400★
Oil Production664,800★192,100
Oil Proved Reserves415★
Population Below Poverty Line6.2 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)16.45 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt64.3★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.01 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5.1 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends5.3 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption704,000★621,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports208,400★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports304,600★195,200
Refined Petroleum Products Production528,300★487,100
Remittances0.4★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million1,218.33 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding1.01 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)1.48★30.28
Tax Burden (% of GDP)12.43 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)12.43 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.626★
Top Exporting Countries301.22B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.69 %★0.58 %
Total Number of Billionaires19★7
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.67 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.67 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate3.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate66.12 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate11.95 %★59.93 %

Environment

10 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)13.93M3.23M★
Average Annual Temperature25.87 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions260.01★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution3,150.09 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributiona highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsulathe 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 Adaptation13.3 sq km★9.88 sq km
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country64 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources580★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species80 species33 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization4.11 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)209.87★85.66
Agricultural land85,710 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km328,5501.21M★
Coastline Length (km)4,675 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita611.58 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land4,42016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country67.87 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions13★9
Corruption Perception Index50 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score50 index★41 index
Independence3131
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.4610.94★
Prison Population Rate244 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception5041★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water94.7 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults25.3 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)13.01★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)21.1★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.82 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.48 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,703.34 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score80 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.4 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.82 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.9 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence13.81 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0.07 cases per 1,000★4.06 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)26 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density4.03 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)15.6 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending37.09 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS92,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People1 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors2.29★0.79
Underweight Children Under 515.34.9★

Military and Security

2 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.04 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)136,000★89,000

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)58.88 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.65★0.42
Life expectancy at birth80.87 years★71.98 years
Median age of population31.44 years★29 years
Population Change428,622.9 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density110.8 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population36.40M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.290.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA★A
Birth Rate (%)14.05 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate52.2 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate12.36 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)5.8 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.5 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age9.69M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)44.3 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate13.55 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.37 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.480.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate18.2627.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.72 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population8.62 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)167.88★166.68
Military Manpower at Military Age21★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1718★
Old-Age Dependency Ratio10.6 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization83.21 %★79.63 %
Physician Density2.34 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.97 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0.2 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio11.52★30.33
Total deaths179,998.3 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)42.17 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.53 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration162,673.4 persons★39,599.6 persons
Under-five mortality rate5.53 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.79 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population52.24 millions56.77 millions★

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.58★0.37
Airports100573★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel5390★
Heliports2449★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita24.59B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate2.75 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Malaysia vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 80% more people than Malaysia (65.49 million vs 36.4 million). Data for 2026.

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

Malaysia. Malaysia's economy is 10% larger than South Africa's ($466.53 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Malaysia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $12,818 in Malaysia vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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