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Niger vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 161 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Niger
ner
Leads on 47 of 161 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 104 of 161 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 2.3 times as many people as Niger (65.49 million vs 28.8 million). South Africa's economy is 19.5 times the size of Niger's ($424.75 billion vs $21.75 billion GDP).

Comparing Niger and South Africa: Niger leads on Total Renewable Water Resources (34.05 billion) against South Africa (51.35); Niger leads on Radios (680,000) against South Africa (17); Niger leads on Televisions (125,000) against South Africa (6). Across 161 compared metrics, Niger wins on 47 and South Africa wins on 104.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 58 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 8 metrics compared
  • Health: 20 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇳🇪 Niger🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.11 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)15.56 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)23.19 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 23% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.11 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score57.05 points75.71 points★
Radios680,000★17
Televisions125,000★6
Waterways300NA

Economy

58 metrics
Metric🇳🇪 Niger🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country6.72B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars21.75B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)22.05 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume26,794 tonnes48,832 tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate14.83 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.25 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.032.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)5.4 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index91.5★59.6
Electricity Consumption1.07207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels95★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables510★
Electricity Imports779★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity184,000★50.02
Electricity Production494.7★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)1.77 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate73.97 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient32.963★
Gross Fixed Investment34★19.6
Gross National Saving22.4★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage11.1 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries1,860.55 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)12.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate-4.45 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)9.1 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.2 % 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 Consumption6,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports5,443521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line40.8 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)17.59 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt45.2★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)8.4 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends2.58 %3.28 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption14,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports5,422105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports3,799195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production15,280487,100★
Remittances3.7★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million26.94 researchers430.45 researchers★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)60.331.21★
Taxes and Other Revenues21.426.11★
Top Exporting Countries5.43B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.81 %★0.58 %
Unemployment Rate0.4 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate79.74 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate0.46 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇳🇪 Niger🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)36,559★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-4,920 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature28.38 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions3.13★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution71.17 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionmajority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin, 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 Adaptation20.44 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage21 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country2.5 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources34.05B★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species14 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇳🇪 Niger🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.44 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)38.285.66★
Agricultural land466,040.8 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.27M★1.21M
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita3.17 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land2,88116,700★

Government

8 metrics
Metric🇳🇪 Niger🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country26.68 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions79★
Corruption Perception Index34 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score34 index41 index★
Independence331★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.9310.94★
Public Sector Corruption Perception34★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

20 metrics
Metric🇳🇪 Niger🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults21.4 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate81 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)4.17.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders61.43 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.14 per 1,000 births1.87 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita74.04 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score39 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy61.43 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.2 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.4 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Malaria Incidence Rate305.14 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)350 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth18.122.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.21 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.5 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending51.48 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS31,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors0.030.79★
Underweight Children Under 534.64.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇳🇪 Niger🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel33,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.14 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)10,00089,000★

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇳🇪 Niger🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)78.8 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.310.42★
Life expectancy at birth63.41 years71.98 years★
Median age of population15.7 years29 years★
Population Change927,041.1 persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density22.7 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population28.80M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.690.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.04 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)46.29 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate11 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate41.42 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)9.24 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.1 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age6.39M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)3.21 %26.59 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.11 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.48 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.20.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate10.4927.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school2.81 years4.88 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.44 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)167.68★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling3.04 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio5.09 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization52.3 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.04 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate3.65 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums70.44 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio36.6330.33★
Total deaths239,039.1 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)28.5 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate5.72 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-6,322.2 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate109.84 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate5 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population48.33 millions56.57 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇳🇪 Niger🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.010.37★
Airports26573★
Civil Air Travel290★
Heliports11

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇳🇪 Niger🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita101.63M USD5.96B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Niger vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 2.3 times as many people as Niger (65.49 million vs 28.8 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 19.5 times the size of Niger's ($424.75 billion vs $21.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $755.21 in Niger (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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