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Geo Factbook

Nepal vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 117 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Nepal
npl
Leads on 39 of 117 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 69 of 117 metrics

Summary

Comparing Nepal and South Africa: Nepal leads on Radios (840,000) against South Africa (17); Nepal leads on Televisions (130,000) against South Africa (6); Nepal leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (943,100) against South Africa (50.02). Across 117 compared metrics, Nepal wins on 39 and South Africa wins on 69.

  • Communications: 7 metrics compared
  • Economy: 48 metrics compared
  • Environment: 6 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 12 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 29 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared

Communications

7 metrics
Metric🇳🇵 Nepal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Internet Penetration Rate (%)46.32 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)55.77 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 56% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score55.2 points75.71 points★
Radios840,000★17
Televisions130,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

48 metrics
Metric🇳🇵 Nepal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country9.52B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars48.33B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)30.4 %★14.07 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)7 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)11.3 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index81.7★59.6
Electricity Consumption4.98207.1★
Electricity Exports2.6916.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels585★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants92★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables310★
Electricity Imports2.1810.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity943,100★50.02
Electricity Production4.24234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)6.6 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Gini Index Coefficient32.863★
Gross Fixed Investment3.519.6★
Gross National Saving45.4★16.1
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)7.1 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1 % 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 Consumption20,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports13,740521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line25.2 people★55.5 people
Public Debt39.9★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.7 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption27,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports26,120195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances33.1★0.2
Robotics Research Funding0.3 USD0.66 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)21.5★29.54
Taxes and Other Revenues17.526★
Top Exporting Countries3.27B USD127.53B USD★
Unemployment Rate10.8 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate39.24 %★55.58 %

Environment

6 metrics
Metric🇳🇵 Nepal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)428,262★3.23M
Carbon Dioxide Emissions11.36★446.7
Population Distributionmost of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is lowthe 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 Adaptation23.6 sq km★9.88 sq km
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country20 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources210.2★51.35

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇳🇵 Nepal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization13.07 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)176.82★85.66
Agricultural land36,185.52 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita2.68 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land12,09016,700★

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇳🇵 Nepal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country40.77 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions79★
Independence176★31
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

12 metrics
Metric🇳🇵 Nepal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water16.49 %68.01 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.7★7.2
Health Care Spending per Capita464.47 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.4 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.1 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.3 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)142 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth20.122.5★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)4.1 %★28.3 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS30,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People1 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Underweight Children Under 518.34.9★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇳🇵 Nepal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)112,000★89,000

People and Society

29 metrics
Metric🇳🇵 Nepal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)75.46 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.52★0.42
Life expectancy at birth73.26 years★71.98 years
Median age of population25.67 years29 years★
Population Change-239,662.7 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density201.77 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population29.59M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.830.83
Birth Rate (%)16.66 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate46.7 %54.6 %★
Death Rate (%)5.62 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.7 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age8.63M persons18.20M persons★
Labor Force Participation Rate8.4427.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school7.88 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.57 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)162.32166.68★
Military Manpower at Military Age1718★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization73.42 %79.63 %★
Physician Density1.01 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.66 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums35.73 %★23.64 %
Total deaths198,194.4 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)58.71 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.92 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-588,424.9 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate22.16 per live births★28.89 per live births

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇳🇵 Nepal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.160.37★
Airports51573★
Civil Air Travel590★
Heliports1449★

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