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Mali vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 164 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Mali
mli
Leads on 49 of 164 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 106 of 164 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 2.5 times as many people as Mali (65.49 million vs 25.92 million). South Africa's economy is 14.6 times the size of Mali's ($424.75 billion vs $29.17 billion GDP).

Comparing Mali and South Africa: Mali leads on Radios (570,000) against South Africa (17); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Mali (110,000); Mali leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (590,000) against South Africa (50.02). Across 164 compared metrics, Mali wins on 49 and South Africa wins on 106.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 61 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 21 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇱 Mali🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.77 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants3.12 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)36.8 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)35.09 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 35% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.77 Mbps3.12 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score48.23 points75.71 points★
Radios570,000★17
Televisions45,000★6
Waterways1,815NA

Economy

61 metrics
Metric🇲🇱 Mali🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country7.28B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars29.17B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)19.52 %★14.07 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate54.75 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)16 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)5.2 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index84.3★59.6
Electricity Consumption2.98207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels6885★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants31★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports800★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity590,000★50.02
Electricity Production2.49234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)4.31 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate54.32 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage61.23 %★10 %
Gender Wage Gap61.23 %10 %★
Gini Index Coefficient35.763★
Gross Fixed Investment25.4★19.6
Gross National Saving16.5★16.1
Highest GDP per Capita Countries2,993.25 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-2.4 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate3.28 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.2 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)4.3 % 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 Consumption6,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports4,507521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line44.6 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)14.3 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt36★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.15 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends3.64 %★3.28 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption22,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports20,610195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances4.2★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million28.67 researchers454.8 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.15 USD0.61 USD★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)11.95 %★23.26 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)11.95 % of GDP23.26 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues1226★
Top Exporting Countries6.05B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.44 %★0.58 %
Unemployment Rate3.1 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate67.04 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate3.88 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇲🇱 Mali🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)235,824★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-100,546.09 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature29.56 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions6.86★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution240.65 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionthe overwhelming majority of the population lives in the southern half of the country, with greater density along the border with Burkina Faso, 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 Adaptation7.5 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage7.5 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country20 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources120★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species14 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇲🇱 Mali🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.33 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)46.3685.66★
Agricultural land440,519 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.22M★1.21M
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita520.3 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land3,78016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇱 Mali🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country16.86 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions19★9
Corruption Perception Index27 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score27 index41 index★
Independence2231★
LGBT Rights Index Score2.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate33 per 100,000★288 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception27★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

21 metrics
Metric🇲🇱 Mali🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults22.9 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate72 %76 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)4.87.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders60.68 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.27 per 1,000 births1.87 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita111.76 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score41 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy60.68 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.8 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.1 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita0.25 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Malaria Incidence Rate346.22 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)367 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth18.622.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.42 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)8.6 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending47.23 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS110,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors0.190.79★
Underweight Children Under 5154.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇱 Mali🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel21,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)3.87 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)41,00089,000★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇲🇱 Mali🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)77.55 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.310.42★
Life expectancy at birth63.05 years71.98 years★
Median age of population15.85 years29 years★
Population Change738,653.1 persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density21.22 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population25.92M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.280.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.08 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)39.44 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate17.2 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate39.53 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)7.87 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.2 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age5.92M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)3.03 %22.39 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.77 %3.12 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth102.57 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.20.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate9.1327.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school2.22 years4.88 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population2.93 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)171.12★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling3.55 years10.47 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio4.7 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization49.78 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.19 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.88 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums88.35 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio42.7130.33★
Total deaths210,507.1 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)40.67 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate5.33 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-56,966.7 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate88.71 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate4.8 %★1.34 %

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇲🇱 Mali🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.020.37★
Airports30573★
Civil Air Travelno major transport aircraft90
Heliports449★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇲🇱 Mali🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita171.23M USD5.96B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Mali vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 2.5 times as many people as Mali (65.49 million vs 25.92 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 14.6 times the size of Mali's ($424.75 billion vs $29.17 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $1,126 in Mali (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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