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Norway vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 170 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Norway
nor
Leads on 95 of 170 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 67 of 170 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 11.6 times as many people as Norway (65.49 million vs 5.67 million). Norway's economy is 35% larger than South Africa's ($571.37 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing Norway and South Africa: South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against Norway (2.13); South Africa leads on Oil Exports (54,930) against Norway (2.18); Norway leads on Apple Import Volume (38.70 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes). Across 170 compared metrics, Norway wins on 95 and South Africa wins on 67.

  • Communications: 8 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 10 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 2 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

8 metrics
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Internet Penetration Rate (%)99 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)99 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 99% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed45.16 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score92.31 points★75.71 points
Radios4.0317★
Televisions2.036★
Waterways1,577NA

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country9.52B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars571.37B $★424.75B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)24.14 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume38.70M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate98.56 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)6.25 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)2.89 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends23 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10.1 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index94.3★59.6
Electricity Consumption122.2207.1★
Electricity Exports15.5316.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels385★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants93★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables410★
Electricity Imports5.7410.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity33.8650.02★
Electricity Production147.7234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)206.96 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate77.98 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient27.763★
Gross Fixed Investment21.4★19.5
Gross National Saving34.3★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage43.08 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries95,173.43 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)2.4 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate3.06 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.1 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3.4 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption4.055.07★
Natural Gas Exports120.2★0
Natural Gas Imports5.66★4.16
Natural Gas Production123.9906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves1.78★0
Number of AI Patents Filed6 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption221,300553,000★
Oil Exports2.1854,930★
Oil Imports118,200521,400★
Oil Production2.13192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves5.6715★
Population Below Poverty Line12.2 people★55.5 people
Public Debt36.5★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.55 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.1 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends4.4 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption205,300621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports432,800★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports135,300195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production371,600487,100★
Remittances0.10.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million7,394.77 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding1.55 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.11★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)24.54 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)24.54 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues27.1★26
Top Exporting Countries229.67B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-1.47 %-0.51 %★
Total Number of Billionaires17★7
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.5 %★2.26 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.5 %★2.26 %
Unemployment Rate4 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate65.61 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate13.42 %★59.93 %

Environment

10 metrics
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-1.69M★3.23M
Average Annual Temperature2.5 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions38.54★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution1,296.1 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionmost people live in the south; population clusters are found along the North Sea coast in the southwest and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populatedthe 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 Adaptation11.67 sq km★9.88 sq km
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country96 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources393★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species8 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.69 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)64.1685.66★
Agricultural land9,842.11 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km364,2701.21M★
Coastline Length (km)25,148 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita5,944.02 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land33716,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country97.98 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions12★9
Corruption Perception Index81 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score81 index★41 index
Independence731★
LGBT Rights Index Score10.8810.94★
Prison Population Rate54 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception8141★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water99.06 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27.3 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)8.5★107.09
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)4.87.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders83.16 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.2 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita11,787.04 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score89 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy83.16 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.1%18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density3.6 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Low Birth Weight Prevalence4.44 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)1 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth28.5★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density16.09 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)23.1 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending13.69 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS5,8007.8★
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)7.7 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors4.91★0.79
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

2 metrics
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)3.28 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)25,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)54.89 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.77★0.42
Life expectancy at birth85.2 years★71.98 years
Median age of population39.96 years★29 years
Population Change50,457.1 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density18.68 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population5.67M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.85★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsC-D★A
Birth Rate (%)10.35 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate9.7 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)8.6 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.5 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.27M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)114.61 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate45.16 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.71 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.84★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate3.0427.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school11.17 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother185.5 days★0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.09 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)179.75★166.68
Military Manpower at Military Age20★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1718★
Old-Age Dependency Ratio28.5 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization65.7 %79.63 %★
Physician Density4.98 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.57 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio8.87★30.33
Total deaths44,022.3 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)70.63 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.35 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration43,052 persons★39,599.6 persons
Under-five mortality rate2.05 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.98 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population74.74 millions★56.57 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)4.9★0.37
Airports146573★
Civil Air Travel7690★
Heliports113★49

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita8.95B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇳🇴 Norway🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate4.25 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Norway vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 11.6 times as many people as Norway (65.49 million vs 5.67 million). Data for 2026.

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

Norway. Norway's economy is 35% larger than South Africa's ($571.37 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Norway is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $100,780 in Norway vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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