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Oman vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 171 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Oman
omn
Leads on 76 of 171 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 86 of 171 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 11.5 times as many people as Oman (65.49 million vs 5.71 million). South Africa's economy is 3.3 times the size of Oman's ($424.75 billion vs $129.8 billion GDP).

Comparing Oman and South Africa: Oman leads on Apple Import Volume (33.39 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Oman (2,500); Oman leads on HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate (0.10 %) against South Africa (18.30 %). Across 171 compared metrics, Oman wins on 76 and South Africa wins on 86.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 62 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration11.06 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)95.25 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)95.25 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 95% (2024 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed11.06 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score42.29 points75.71 points★
Radios1.417★
Televisions1.66★
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

62 metrics
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country3.00B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars129.80B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)24.85 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume33.39M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate69.54 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)2 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)5.2 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends15 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.1 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index93.5★59.6
Electricity Consumption28.92207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels100★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity8.1750.02★
Electricity Production32.16234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)296.59 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate31.58 %55.4 %★
Gross Fixed Investment25.5★19.5
Gross National Saving16.116.1
High-Tech Export Percentage26.77 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries36,142.95 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.2 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate0.97 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption21.94★5.07
Natural Gas Exports11.16★0
Natural Gas Imports1.984.16★
Natural Gas Production31.23906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves651.3★0
Number of AI Patents Filed1 patents3 patents★
Oil Consumption142,000553,000★
Oil Exports592,300★54,930
Oil Imports27,970521,400★
Oil Production867,900★192,100
Oil Proved Reserves5.515★
Population Below Poverty LineNA55.5 people
Public Debt46.9★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.29 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1.7 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends-5.92 %0.6 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption188,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports33,700105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports6,041195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production229,600487,100★
Remittances00.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million383.13 researchers444.16 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.29 USD0.61 USD★
Taxes and Other Revenues31.3★26.11
Top Exporting Countries70.79B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)11.64 %★0.58 %
Total Number of Billionaires27★
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.43 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.43 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate3.2 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate68.38 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate13.89 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)2.85M★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature28.28 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions84.07★446.7
Continental Shelfto be defined;200
Global Precipitation Distribution27.07 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionthe vast majority of the population is located in and around the Al Hagar Mountains in the north; another smaller cluster is found around the city of Salalah in the far south; most of the country remains 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 Adaptation33.1 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage28.9 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country1.3 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources1.451.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species9 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.82 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)107.67★85.66
Agricultural land14,750.24 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km309,5001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)2,092 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita18.85 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land1,16216,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country66.99 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions11★9
Corruption Perception Index55 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score55 index★41 index
Independence165★31
LGBT Rights Index Score-1.3110.94★
Prison Population Rate61 per 100,000★396 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception5541★
Suffrage Participation Rate21★18

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water91.1 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults26.4 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate99 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)11.33★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)17★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders80.25 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.51 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,306.15 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score73 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.4 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy80.25 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.1 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.5 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.7 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence13.24 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0 cases per 1,000★0.11 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)13 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density4.66 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)27 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.31 %★6.69 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS2,5007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors1.99★0.79
Underweight Children Under 511.24.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel43,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)5.68 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)47,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)52.82 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.65★0.42
Life expectancy at birth84.15 years★71.98 years
Median age of population29.95 years★29 years
Population Change255,617.6 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density18.65 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population5.71M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.220.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.16 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)20.65 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate29.7 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate16.78 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)3.17 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.23M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)52.95 %★27.58 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate11.06 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.07 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.390.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate2.727.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.75 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.65 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)169.16★166.68
Military Manpower at Military Age1418★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio3.69 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization80.8 %★79.63 %
Physician Density1.99 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.7 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums-0.34 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio19.91★35.37
Total deaths9,193.9 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)35.13 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.46 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration172,137.8 persons★39,599.6 persons
Under-five mortality rate9.64 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate4 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population16.42 millions47.28 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.94★0.37
Airports37573★
Civil Air Travel1990★
Heliports2049★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita3.70B USD5.96B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇴🇲 Oman🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate4.5 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Oman vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 11.5 times as many people as Oman (65.49 million vs 5.71 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 3.3 times the size of Oman's ($424.75 billion vs $129.8 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Oman is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $22,741 in Oman vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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