Morocco vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 173 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

South Africa has 69% more people than Morocco (65.49 million vs 38.78 million). South Africa's economy is 2.5 times the size of Morocco's ($424.75 billion vs $173.27 billion GDP).

Comparing Morocco and South Africa: Morocco leads on Oil Proved Reserves (680,000) against South Africa (15); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Morocco (22,000); South Africa leads on Annual Forest Area Change Rate (87,566 %) against Morocco (313.96 %). Across 173 compared metrics, Morocco wins on 79 and South Africa wins on 84.

  • 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: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration7.3 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)91.2 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)91 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 91% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed7.3 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score48.04 points75.71 points★
Radios6.6417★
Televisions3.16★
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country15.15B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars173.27B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)30.07 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume9.71M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate44.39 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)6.5 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)5.6 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index93★59.6
Electricity Consumption28.25207.1★
Electricity Exports165★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels6885★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants16★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables15★10
Electricity Imports5.2910.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity8.350.02★
Electricity Production28.75234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)23.52 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate21.53 %55.4 %★
Gini Index Coefficient39.563★
Gross Fixed Investment31.2★19.5
Gross National Saving30.1★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage64.92 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries9,495.41 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)5 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate0.7 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)4 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption1.225.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports1.134.16★
Natural Gas Production87.78906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves1.44★0
Number of AI Patents Filed2 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption209,000553,000★
Oil Exports25,09054,930★
Oil Imports221,000521,400★
Oil Production3,938192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves680,000★15
Population Below Poverty Line4.8 people★55.5 people
Public Debt64.9★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.66 %0.66 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.2 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption278,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports9,504105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports229,300★195,200
Refined Petroleum Products Production66,230487,100★
Remittances8.1★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million1,083.43 researchers★482 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.66 USD0.66 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)16.79★47.91
Tax Burden (% of GDP)20.74 %★25.4 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)20.74 % of GDP25.4 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues2126★
Top Exporting Countries67.45B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.82 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires37★
Tourism Contribution to GDP7.06 %★3.7 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)7.06 %★3.7 %
Unemployment Rate9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate43.94 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate21.88 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)101,168★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate313.96 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature19.3 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions64.17★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution282.36 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionthe highest population density is found along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts; a number of densely populated agglomerations are scattered through the Atlas Mountains, 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 Adaptation2.07 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage2.1 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country10 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources2951.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species19 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.1 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)39.8985.66★
Agricultural land286,647 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km446,3001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)2,945 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita461.01 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land17,645★16,700

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country48.1 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions12★9
Corruption Perception Index37 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score37 index41 index★
Independence231★
LGBT Rights Index Score-1.3510.94★
Prison Population Rate232 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception37★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water79.98 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults25.4 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate98 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)11.9★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders75.49 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.23 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita738.48 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score65 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.7 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy75.49 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita0.84 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence14.77 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0 cases per 1,000★0.11 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)70 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth25.4★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density1.39 per 1,000 people★1.29 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)26.1 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending37.25 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS22,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People1 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.740.78★
Underweight Children Under 53★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel196,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)3.54 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)246,000★89,000

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)55.23 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.52★0.42
Life expectancy at birth78.77 years★71.98 years
Median age of population30.15 years★29 years
Population Change344,033.4 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density86.97 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population38.78M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.480.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.15 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)16.5 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate70.8 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate16.4 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.66 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age9.87M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)51.82 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate7.3 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.39 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.330.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate12.4827.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school6.6 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population3.89 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)170.4★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling6.83 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation19★18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio11.83 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization78.28 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.74 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.81 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums9.01 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio25.88★30.33
Total deaths214,533.1 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)47.07 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.16 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-53,314 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate15.29 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.43 %★1.34 %

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.290.37★
Airports48573★
Civil Air Travel2890★
Heliports1749★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita12.12B USD★5.96B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇲🇦 Morocco🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate2.25 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Morocco vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 69% more people than Morocco (65.49 million vs 38.78 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 2.5 times the size of Morocco's ($424.75 billion vs $173.27 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $4,468 in Morocco (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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