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Namibia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 171 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Namibia
nam
Leads on 70 of 171 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 93 of 171 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 20.8 times as many people as Namibia (65.49 million vs 3.16 million). South Africa's economy is 29.3 times the size of Namibia's ($424.75 billion vs $14.5 billion GDP).

Comparing Namibia and South Africa: Namibia leads on Major Urban Areas Population (477,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Namibia (210,000); Namibia leads on Radios (232,000) against South Africa (17). Across 171 compared metrics, Namibia wins on 70 and South Africa wins on 93.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration2.83 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)64.87 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)64.41 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 64% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed2.83 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score75.35 points75.71 points★
Radios232,000★17
Televisions60,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.24B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars14.50B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)25.61 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume10.84M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate72.92 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)7 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.04 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index72.2★59.6
Electricity Consumption3.89207.1★
Electricity Exports88★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels2885★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants64★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables810★
Electricity Imports3.0710.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity535,500★50.02
Electricity Production1.4234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)21.73 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate56.39 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage0.17 %10 %★
Gender Wage Gap0.17 %★10 %
Gini Index Coefficient59.163★
Gross Fixed Investment21.4★19.5
Gross National Saving16.7★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage0.34 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries10,242.28 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate3.51 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.2 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.8 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves62.29★0
Oil Consumption24,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports19,890521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line17.4 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)19.89 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt4.64★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.65 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.7 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends6.38 %7.42 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption27,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports80105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports26,270195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances1.1★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million224.81 researchers444.16 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.65 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)60.2844.62★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)33.87 %25.88 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)33.87 % of GDP★25.88 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues33★26
Top Exporting Countries5.57B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)14.18 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP2 %2.26 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2 %2.26 %★
Unemployment Rate19.2 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate58.84 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate38.05 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)26,448★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-644.04 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature21.61 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions3.46★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution450.17 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionpopulation density is very low, with the largest clusters found in the extreme north-central area along the border with Angola, 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 Adaptation40.9 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage39.9 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country2.1 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources39.9151.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species15 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.08 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)67.485.66★
Agricultural land388,132 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km823,2901.21M★
Coastline Length (km)1,572 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita215.05 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land8016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country65.13 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions14★9
Corruption Perception Index49 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score49 index★41 index
Independence2131★
LGBT Rights Index Score0.5810.94★
Prison Population Rate148 per 100,000★291 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4941★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults22.9 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate79 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)5.37.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders67.52 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.62 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,248.83 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score66 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.4 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy67.52 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate11.8 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.7 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Low Birth Weight Prevalence15.58 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate7.2 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)139 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth21.422.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density5.39 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)17.2 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending7.49 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS210,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.550.79★
Underweight Children Under 513.25.5★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel10,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.77 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)16,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)35.13 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.48★0.42
Life expectancy at birth74.68 years★71.98 years
Median age of population21.43 years29 years★
Population Change54,865.9 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density3.85 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population3.16M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.720.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita6.7 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)23.93 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate56.1 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate25.89 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.36 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)9.1 % of GDP★6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age816,356.35 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)33.12 %★29.68 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate2.83 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth100.46 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.380.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate1.1327.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school6.59 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population477,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.96★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling6.88 years10.47 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.04 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization44.2 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.55 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.76 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums41.33 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio29.7829.51★
Total deaths15,835.9 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)63.35 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate3.14 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-8,818.7 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate34.52 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.95 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population66.68 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Airports259573★
Civil Air TravelNA major transport aircraft90
Heliports149★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita443.28M USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇳🇦 Namibia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate6.5 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Namibia vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 20.8 times as many people as Namibia (65.49 million vs 3.16 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 29.3 times the size of Namibia's ($424.75 billion vs $14.5 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $4,595 in Namibia (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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