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North Macedonia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

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

North Macedonia
mkd
Leads on 85 of 173 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 77 of 173 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 36.3 times as many people as North Macedonia (65.49 million vs 1.8 million). South Africa's economy is 22.3 times the size of North Macedonia's ($424.75 billion vs $19.03 billion GDP).

Comparing North Macedonia and South Africa: North Macedonia leads on Televisions (510,000) against South Africa (6); North Macedonia leads on Major Urban Areas Population (611,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); North Macedonia leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (779,200) against South Africa (27.77). Across 173 compared metrics, North Macedonia wins on 85 and South Africa wins on 77.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration29.89 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)93.6 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)87.18 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 87% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed29.89 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score70.44 points75.71 points★
Radios410,000★17
Televisions510,000★6
Waterwaysnote: lake transport only, on the Greek and Albanian bordersNA

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country949.49M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars19.03B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)30.6 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume3.58M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate84.25 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3.25 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)6.21 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.6 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index88.6★59.6
Electricity Consumption6.42207.1★
Electricity Exports58.5★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels6085★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants37★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables310★
Electricity Imports2.1910.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity1.8350.02★
Electricity Production5.4234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)56.1 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.89 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage15.29 %★10 %
Gender Wage Gap15.29 %10 %★
Gini Index Coefficient33.563★
Gross Fixed Investment29.2★19.5
Gross National Saving30.3★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage64.92 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries25,094.62 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.8 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate4.07 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.5 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption198.2★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports198.2★4.16
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption19,000553,000★
Oil Exports8,59454,930★
Oil Imports21,530521,400★
Oil Production116192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line21.8 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)19.11 % of GDP★12.02 % of GDP
Public Debt39.3★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.37 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.8 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends0.75 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption21,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports3,065105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports23,560195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances2.7★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million730.9 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.37 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)6.44★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)18.76 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)18.76 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues17.926★
Top Exporting Countries10.46B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.54 %★-0.51 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.36 %3.7 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.36 %3.7 %★
Unemployment Rate13.5 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate51.94 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate28.75 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-718,749★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-3,243.99 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature12.09 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions7.37★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution796.47 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributiona fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populationsthe 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 Adaptation33.84 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage29 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources6.451.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species7 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.52 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)71.6485.66★
Agricultural land12,502 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km25,2201.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita1,300.85 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land84416,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country49.29 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions80★9
Corruption Perception Index40 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score40 index41 index★
Independence831★
LGBT Rights Index Score2.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate102 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception40★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water80.79 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27.3 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate73 %76 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)39.89★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.4★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.62 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.36 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita2,194.25 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score69 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.5 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.62 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density4.3 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita4.6 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence8.29 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)3 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth26.2★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density5.52 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.4 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending39.57 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS<500 (2018 est.)7.8
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People9 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)4.25 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors2.94★0.79
Underweight Children Under 50.9★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel8,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.97 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)16,00089,000★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)64.74 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.56★0.42
Life expectancy at birth81.43 years★71.98 years
Median age of population41.35 years★29 years
Population Change-7,548.4 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density72.43 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population1.80M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.660.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita2.1 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)10.07 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate59.9 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate8.8 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)9.62 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)NA6.6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age398,481.65 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)64.97 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate29.89 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth107.62 male/female★103.52 male/female
Labor Force Participation Rate779,200★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school7.05 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population611,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)178.33★166.68
Military Manpower at Military Age19★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio26.74 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization71.33 %79.63 %★
Physician Density2.94 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.08 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0.01 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio14.41★30.33
Total deaths16,873 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)53 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.39 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-5,776.6 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate7.47 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.33 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population58.3 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.64★0.37
Airports13573★
Heliports1349★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita632.06M USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate5.35 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About North Macedonia vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, North Macedonia or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 36.3 times as many people as North Macedonia (65.49 million vs 1.8 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, North Macedonia or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 22.3 times the size of North Macedonia's ($424.75 billion vs $19.03 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, North Macedonia or South Africa?▾

North Macedonia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $10,548 in North Macedonia vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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