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Mexico vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 123 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Mexico
mex
Leads on 69 of 123 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 44 of 123 metrics

Summary

Comparing Mexico and South Africa: South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (621,000) against Mexico (1.98); South Africa leads on Oil Consumption (553,000) against Mexico (2.07); South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against Mexico (2.98). Across 123 compared metrics, Mexico wins on 69 and South Africa wins on 44.

  • Communications: 7 metrics compared
  • Economy: 50 metrics compared
  • Environment: 7 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 12 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 30 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

7 metrics
Metric🇲🇽 Mexico🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Internet Penetration Rate (%)83.12 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)81.18 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 81% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score45.55 points75.71 points★
Radios31★17
Televisions25.6★6
Waterways2,900NA

Economy

50 metrics
Metric🇲🇽 Mexico🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country69.44B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars2.29T $★424.75B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)24.12 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume246.26M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)7.25 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue0.032.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)7.34 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.4 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index86.1★59.6
Electricity Consumption258.7★207.1
Electricity Exports7.3116.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7185★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants17★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels24★
Electricity from Other Renewables910★
Electricity Imports3.5310.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity72.56★50.02
Electricity Production302.7★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)57.54 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Gini Index Coefficient43.563★
Gross Fixed Investment21.5★19.5
Gross National Saving21.4★16.1
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.2 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.7 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.9 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption81.61★5.07
Natural Gas Exports36.81★0
Natural Gas Imports50.12★4.16
Natural Gas Production31.57906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves279.8★0
Number of AI Patents Filed134 patents★22 patents
Oil Consumption2.07553,000★
Oil Exports1.5154,930★
Oil Imports496,000521,400★
Oil Production2.98192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves10.4215★
Population Below Poverty Line36.3 people★55.5 people
Public Debt45.1★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1.5 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption1.98621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports155,800★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports867,500★195,200
Refined Petroleum Products Production844,600★487,100
Remittances3.7★0.2
Robotics Research Funding0.26 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)7.2★31.21
Taxes and Other Revenues14.226★
Top Exporting Countries681.35B USD★127.53B USD
Unemployment Rate2.8 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate61.61 %55.58 %★

Environment

7 metrics
Metric🇲🇽 Mexico🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)2.73M★3.23M
Carbon Dioxide Emissions441.05★446.7
Continental Shelfnatural prolongation of continental margin or 200 nm;200
Population Distributionmost of the population is found in the middle of the country between the states of Jalisco and Veracruz; approximately a quarter of the population lives in and around Mexico Citythe 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 Adaptation15.55 sq km★9.88 sq km
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country150 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources461.89★51.35

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇲🇽 Mexico🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.86 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)52.4485.66★
Agricultural land1.04M sq. km★963,410 sq. km
Coastline Length (km)9,330 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita1,145.45 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land59,910★16,700

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇲🇽 Mexico🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country17.92 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions32★9
Independence1631★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

12 metrics
Metric🇲🇽 Mexico🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water42.97 %68.01 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)130.61102.05★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)16.4★7.2
Health Care Spending per Capita1,579.68 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.4 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.5 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)42 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth21.322.5★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.9 %28.3 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS340,0007.8★
Underweight Children Under 54.2★4.9

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇲🇽 Mexico🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)341,000★89,000

People and Society

30 metrics
Metric🇲🇽 Mexico🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)51.87 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.63★0.42
Life expectancy at birth80.06 years★71.98 years
Median age of population29.96 years★29 years
Population Change1.20M persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density67.89 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population133.03M persons★65.49M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.710.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA
Birth Rate (%)14.73 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate73.1 %★54.6 %
Death Rate (%)6.04 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.1 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age35.92M persons★18.20M persons
Labor Force Participation Rate60.96★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school9.01 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population22.28 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)169.01★166.68
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization77.59 %79.63 %★
Physician Density2.59 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.81 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums15.76 %23.64 %★
Total deaths685,869.9 persons540,582.7 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.6 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.84 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-98,968.7 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate11.69 per live births★28.89 per live births

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇲🇽 Mexico🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.48★0.37
Airports1,580★573
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel186★90
Heliports488★49

Other

1 metric
Metric🇲🇽 Mexico🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate6.5 %7 %★

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