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Paraguay vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 175 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Paraguay
pry
Leads on 79 of 175 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 85 of 175 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 9.2 times as many people as Paraguay (65.49 million vs 7.1 million). South Africa's economy is 8.6 times the size of Paraguay's ($424.75 billion vs $49.47 billion GDP).

Comparing Paraguay and South Africa: Paraguay leads on Televisions (990,000) against South Africa (6); Paraguay leads on Radios (925,000) against South Africa (17); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Paraguay (19,000). Across 175 compared metrics, Paraguay wins on 79 and South Africa wins on 85.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 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: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration12.88 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)81.58 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)78.09 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 78% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed12.88 Mbps★3.41 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score56.84 points75.71 points★
Radios925,000★17
Televisions990,000★6
Waterways3,100NA

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country5.31B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars49.47B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)22.84 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume15.83M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate60.92 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.5 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)17 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends10 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.7 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index76★59.6
Electricity Consumption10.9207.1★
Electricity Exports41.13★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels085★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants99★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity8.8750.02★
Electricity Production63.13234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)25.73 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate63.06 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-5.14 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap-5.14 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient45.163★
Gross Fixed Investment17.919.5★
Gross National Saving18.6★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage31.8 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries17,245.85 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)2.2 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate4.04 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.8 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.8 % 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
Oil Consumption31,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports23,810521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line24.7 people★55.5 people
Public Debt18.9★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.12 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.2 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends3.76 %★0.6 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption43,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports40,760195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances2★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million133.2 researchers444.16 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.12 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)4.27★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)11.33 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)11.33 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues10.126★
Top Exporting Countries16.54B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.4 %★-0.51 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP1.09 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)1.09 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate6.1 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate70.25 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate11.69 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)291,031★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-163,710.16 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature24.03 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions7.51★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution1,210.97 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionmost of the population resides in the eastern half of the country; to the west lies the Gran Chaco (a semi-arid lowland plain), which accounts for 60% of the land territory, but only 2% of the overall populationthe 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 Adaptation15.08 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage14.9 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country41.64 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources387.77★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species11 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.52 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)69.8685.66★
Agricultural land222,758.8 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km396,012.031.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita4,696.64 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land1,36216,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country26.33 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions17★9
Corruption Perception Index24 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score24 index41 index★
Independence1431★
LGBT Rights Index Score-1.910.94★
Prison Population Rate259 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception24★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water64.36 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults26.5 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate90 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)58.87★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)9.4★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders73.98 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.9 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,755.94 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score79 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy73.98 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.8 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita0.84 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence9.96 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0 cases per 1,000★0.11 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)58 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth22.9★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density9.41 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)20.3 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending36.32 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS19,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors3.89★0.79
Underweight Children Under 51.3★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel14,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.88 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)29,00089,000★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)55.33 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.54★0.42
Life expectancy at birth79.64 years★71.98 years
Median age of population27.24 years29 years★
Population Change89,506.6 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density17.54 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population7.10M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.70.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita3.44 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)15.66 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate68.4 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate19.73 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)4.97 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.4 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.85M persons18.20M persons★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate12.88 %★3.41 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.72 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.430.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate3.527.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school7.05 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population3.51 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)172.83★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling8.83 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1718★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.82 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization60.92 %79.63 %★
Physician Density3.89 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.06 %1.06 %
Population living in slums10.63 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio24.16★32.94
Total deaths31,625.5 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)66.22 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate2.38 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-14,123.5 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate19.12 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.96 %★1.34 %

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.10.37★
Airports83573★
Civil Air Travel990★
Heliports2949★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita779.86M USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇵🇾 Paraguay🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate5.75 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Paraguay vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 9.2 times as many people as Paraguay (65.49 million vs 7.1 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 8.6 times the size of Paraguay's ($424.75 billion vs $49.47 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Paraguay is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,971 in Paraguay vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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