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New Zealand vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 177 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

New Zealand
nzl
Leads on 91 of 177 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 73 of 177 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 12.4 times as many people as New Zealand (65.49 million vs 5.29 million). South Africa's economy is 49% larger than New Zealand's ($424.75 billion vs $284.58 billion GDP).

Comparing New Zealand and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against New Zealand (3,600); South Africa leads on Natural Gas Production (906.10) against New Zealand (5.10); South Africa leads on Coal Revenue (2.40) against New Zealand (0.03). Across 177 compared metrics, New Zealand wins on 91 and South Africa wins on 73.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration38.05 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)93.52 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)96.16 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 96% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed38.05 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score81.37 points★75.71 points
Radios3.7517★
Televisions1.936★
Waterways1,609NA

Economy

65 metrics
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country17.05B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars284.58B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)22.51 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume825,370 tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate97.86 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)1.75 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.032.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)5.1 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends28 %28 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.2 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index100★59.6
Electricity Consumption39.5207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels2385★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants58★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables20★10
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity9.350.02★
Electricity Production42.53234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)121.65 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate79.25 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient36.263★
Gross Fixed Investment19.519.5
Gross National Saving21★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage16.44 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries48,232.66 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-1 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate2.84 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.9 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption5.18★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production5.1906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves33.7★0
Number of AI Patents Filed4 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption149,700553,000★
Oil Exports47,20054,930★
Oil Imports138,000521,400★
Oil Production60,480192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves112.5★15
Population Below Poverty LineNA55.5 people
Public Debt54★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.49 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)-0.1 USD0.6 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends1.07 %4.65 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption169,100621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports1,782105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports56,000195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production115,100487,100★
Remittances0.3★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million5,094.76 researchers★454.8 researchers
Robotics Research Funding1.49 USD★0.61 USD
Tax Burden (% of GDP)29.52 %25.88 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)29.52 % of GDP★25.88 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues29.6★26
Top Exporting Countries64.54B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.37 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires57★
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.1 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.1 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate4.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate70.35 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate14.36 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)919,618★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate67,548.05 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature11.19 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions33.51★446.7
Continental Shelfedge of continental margin or 200 nm;200
Global Precipitation Distribution1,630.68 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionover three quarters of New Zealanders, including the Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areasthe 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 Adaptation33.4 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage33.4 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources327★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species9 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.92 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)294.65★85.66
Agricultural land91,806 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km263,3101.21M★
Coastline Length (km)15,134 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita3,118.67 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land7,00016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country94.02 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions16★9
Corruption Perception Index83 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score83 index★41 index
Independence2631★
LGBT Rights Index Score10.810.94★
Prison Population Rate199 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception8341★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water100 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults28.1 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate89 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)15.09★96.29
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.77.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders82.01 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.28 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita6,579.86 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score89 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy82.01 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.1%18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.7 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.75 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence5.86 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)7 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth27.8★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density11.86 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)30.8 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending12.6 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS3,6007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People9 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)8.12 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors3.61★0.79
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel9,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.1 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)10,00089,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)57.19 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.77★0.42
Life expectancy at birth84.03 years★71.98 years
Median age of population37.98 years★29 years
Population Change50,085.3 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density19.96 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population5.29M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.85★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsB★A
Beer Consumption per Capita3.13 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)12.4 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate79.9 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate11.03 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.93 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.20M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)95.57 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate38.05 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.3 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.81★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate3.1227.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school11.2 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.67 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)177.74★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling10.81 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age20★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1718★
Old-Age Dependency Ratio25.89 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization76.31 %79.63 %★
Physician Density3.61 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.83 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio14.5★30.33
Total deaths40,098.2 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)68.32 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.65 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration31,423.4 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate4.26 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.73 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population72.35 millions★53.77 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)3.76★0.37
Airports206573★
Civil Air Travelabout 40 major transport aircraft90
Heliports62★49

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita9.57B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇳🇿 New Zealand🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate2.25 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About New Zealand vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, New Zealand or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 12.4 times as many people as New Zealand (65.49 million vs 5.29 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, New Zealand or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 49% larger than New Zealand's ($424.75 billion vs $284.58 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, New Zealand or South Africa?▾

New Zealand is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $53,797 in New Zealand vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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