Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Pakistan vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 172 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Pakistan
pak
Leads on 67 of 172 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 96 of 172 metrics

Summary

Pakistan has 4.0 times as many people as South Africa (259.17 million vs 65.49 million). South Africa's economy is 7% larger than Pakistan's ($424.75 billion vs $398.6 billion GDP).

Comparing Pakistan and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Pakistan (200,000); South Africa leads on Beer Consumption per Capita (3.65 liters) against Pakistan (0.00 liters); Pakistan leads on Apple Import Volume (28.07 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes). Across 172 compared metrics, Pakistan wins on 67 and South Africa wins on 96.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 62 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 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🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration1.47 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)57.25 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)27.38 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 27% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed1.47 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score29.62 points75.71 points★
Radios13.517★
Televisions3.16★
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

62 metrics
Metric🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country82.97B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars398.60B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)13.17 %14.07 %★
Apple Import Volume28.07M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate27.3 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %5.75 %
Coal Revenue0.062.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)6.98 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index89.3★59.6
Electricity Consumption92.33207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels6285★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants27★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels5★4
Electricity from Other Renewables710★
Electricity Imports490★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity26.950.02★
Electricity Production109.7234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)14.08 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate25.58 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage13.26 %★9.52 %
Gender Wage Gap13.26 %9.52 %★
Gini Index Coefficient29.663★
Gross Fixed Investment10.919.5★
Gross National Saving1216.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage10.72 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries5,617.25 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-1.7 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate3.55 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)12.6 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.5 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption45.05★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports6★4.16
Natural Gas Production39.05906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves588.8★0
Oil Consumption410,000553,000★
Oil Exports29,84054,930★
Oil Imports346,400521,400★
Oil Production63,580192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves313★15
Population Below Poverty Line21.9 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)9.9 % of GDP11.46 % of GDP★
Public Debt67.6★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.16 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.2 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends-1.45 %0.6 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption557,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports25,510105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports264,500★195,200
Refined Petroleum Products Production291,200487,100★
Remittances9.4★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million401.39 researchers454.8 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.16 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)26.66★29.54
Taxes and Other Revenues15.426.11★
Top Exporting Countries38.61B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.45 %★-0.51 %
Unemployment Rate5.5 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate52.34 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate9.59 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-7.06M★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate20,785.99 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature21.46 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions212.66★446.7
Continental Shelfedge of continental margin or 200 nm;200
Global Precipitation Distribution372.4 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionthe Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely 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 Adaptation21.19 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage19.1 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country55 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources246.8★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species24 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization13.87 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)75.385.66★
Agricultural land350,090 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km770,8801.21M★
Coastline Length (km)1,046 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita105.58 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land194,200★16,700

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country20.35 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions49★
Corruption Perception Index27 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score27 index41 index★
Independence1431★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.5410.94★
Prison Population Rate37 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception27★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water44.97 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults23.3 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate86 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)31.4★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders67.8 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.76 per 1,000 births1.87 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita175.49 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score56 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy67.8 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.2 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.6 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita0.42 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Malaria Incidence Rate12.77 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)155 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth23.4★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density0.45 per 1,000 people1.09 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)8.6 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending52.93 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS200,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors1.16★0.78
Underweight Children Under 523.14.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel652,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.91 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)943,000★89,000

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)63.16 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.43★0.42
Life expectancy at birth71.26 years71.98 years★
Median age of population20.75 years29 years★
Population Change3.70M persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density336.17 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population259.17M persons★65.49M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.270.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA
Beer Consumption per Capita0 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)25.05 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate34 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate27.41 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.79 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)1.9 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age64.60M persons★18.20M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)10.32 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate1.47 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.85 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.260.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate83.64★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school5.64 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population17.24 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.95★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling6.41 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1718★
Military Service Age and Obligation1618★
Old-Age Dependency Ratio7.14 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization89.31 %★79.63 %
Physician Density1.16 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.82 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums52.86 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio46.3430.33★
Total deaths1.59M persons540,582.7 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)38.19 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.44 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-1.65M persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate55.06 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.45 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population40.99 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.060.37★
Airports117573★
Civil Air Travel4090★
Heliports4849★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita1.19B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇵🇰 Pakistan🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate11.5 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Pakistan vs South Africa

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

Pakistan. Pakistan has 4.0 times as many people as South Africa (259.17 million vs 65.49 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 7% larger than Pakistan's ($424.75 billion vs $398.6 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $1,538 in Pakistan (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More Pakistan comparisons

More South Africa comparisons