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Panama vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

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

Panama
pan
Leads on 85 of 173 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 79 of 173 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 14.2 times as many people as Panama (65.49 million vs 4.63 million). South Africa's economy is 4.1 times the size of Panama's ($424.75 billion vs $104.39 billion GDP).

Comparing Panama and South Africa: Panama leads on Televisions (510,000) against South Africa (6); Panama leads on Radios (815,000) against South Africa (17); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Panama (31,000). Across 173 compared metrics, Panama wins on 85 and South Africa wins on 79.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇦 Panama🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration18.13 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)72.77 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)68.55 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 78% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed18.13 Mbps★3.41 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score66.75 points75.71 points★
Radios815,000★17
Televisions510,000★6
Waterways882NA

Economy

67 metrics
Metric🇵🇦 Panama🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.32B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars104.39B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)33.53 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume12.10M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate64.1 %81.13 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)7.52 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends25 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index92★59.6
Electricity Consumption8.71207.1★
Electricity Exports139★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels3685★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants51★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables13★10
Electricity Imports30★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity3.450.02★
Electricity Production10.6234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)78.01 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate61.06 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage9.22 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap9.22 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient48.963★
Gross Fixed Investment30.1★19.5
Gross National Saving38.9★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage7.69 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries37,516.18 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-2.6 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate-0.19 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)0.7 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.1 % 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
Number of AI Patents Filed2 patents3 patents★
Oil Consumption97,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports77,910521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line21.5 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)25.41 % of GDP★12.02 % of GDP
Public Debt37.4★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.18 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.9 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends4.61 %★3.37 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption146,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports66105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports129,200195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances0.6★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million142.28 researchers444.16 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.18 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)6.38★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)7.18 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)7.18 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues7.526★
Top Exporting Countries38.38B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.04 %★-0.51 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP10 %★3.54 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)10 %★3.54 %
Unemployment Rate6.6 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate66.3 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate19.77 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇵🇦 Panama🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-337,693★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-3,014.06 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature25.14 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions23.46★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution3,521.89 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionpopulation is concentrated towards the center of the country, particularly around the Canal, but a sizeable segment of the populace also lives in the far west around David; the eastern third of the country is sparsely inhabitedthe 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 Adaptation31.4 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage31.4 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country21 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources139.3★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species18 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇵🇦 Panama🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.63 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)145.1★85.66
Agricultural land21,675.24 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km74,1801.21M★
Coastline Length (km)2,490 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita1,959.21 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land39416,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇦 Panama🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country33.75 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions10★9
Corruption Perception Index33 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score33 index41 index★
Independence331★
LGBT Rights Index Score1.9410.94★
Prison Population Rate533 per 100,000260 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception33★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇵🇦 Panama🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults26.2 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate93 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)35.75★89.28
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)11.1★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders79.78 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.66 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita3,859.64 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score82 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.7 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy79.78 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.13 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence10.28 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate3.5 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)37 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth21.122.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density3.35 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.7 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending40.46 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS31,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People6 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors1.63★0.79
Underweight Children Under 52.9★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇵🇦 Panama🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel0 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0 %★0.74 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)28,00089,000★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇵🇦 Panama🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)52.57 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.5★0.42
Life expectancy at birth83.81 years★71.98 years
Median age of population30.58 years★29 years
Population Change56,877.2 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density62.39 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population4.63M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.91★0.83
Beer Consumption per Capita5.34 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.11 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate50.8 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate15.87 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)5.48 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)2.5 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.16M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)66.32 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate18.13 %★3.41 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.26 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.55★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate2.2127.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school6.58 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.98 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)168.49★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling10.44 years10.47 years★
Old-Age Dependency Ratio13.78 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization68.99 %79.63 %★
Physician Density1.63 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.44 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums12.04 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio21.89★30.33
Total deaths21,615.5 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)60.42 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.07 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration6,740.3 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate12.92 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.46 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population74.11 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇵🇦 Panama🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.55★0.37
Airports77573★
Civil Air Travel590★
Heliports149★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇵🇦 Panama🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita9.08B USD★6.72B USD

Frequently Asked Questions About Panama vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 14.2 times as many people as Panama (65.49 million vs 4.63 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 4.1 times the size of Panama's ($424.75 billion vs $104.39 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Panama is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $22,562 in Panama vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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