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Peru vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 176 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Peru
per
Leads on 84 of 176 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 85 of 176 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 87% more people than Peru (65.49 million vs 34.94 million). South Africa's economy is 28% larger than Peru's ($424.75 billion vs $332.5 billion GDP).

Comparing Peru and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Peru (91,000); Peru leads on Apple Import Volume (39.28 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); South Africa leads on Natural Gas Production (906.10) against Peru (12.99). Across 176 compared metrics, Peru wins on 84 and South Africa wins on 85.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration11.68 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)81.96 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)79.48 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 80% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed11.68 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score42.88 points75.71 points★
Radios6.6517★
Televisions3.066★
Waterways8,808NA

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country21.05B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars332.50B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)19.42 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume39.28M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate59.31 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.25 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)16.6 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends29.5 %★28 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index82.1★59.6
Electricity Consumption44.61207.1★
Electricity Exports55★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels6185★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants35★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables410★
Electricity Imports22★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity14.7350.02★
Electricity Production50.13234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)30.92 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate69.56 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage11.06 %★9.52 %
Gender Wage Gap11.06 %9.52 %★
Gini Index Coefficient40.363★
Gross Fixed Investment25.4★19.5
Gross National Saving19.8★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage5.63 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries16,079.13 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate1.53 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.8 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption7.48★5.07
Natural Gas Exports5.51★0
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production12.99906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves455.9★0
Number of AI Patents Filed4 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption189,000553,000★
Oil Exports73,280★54,930
Oil Imports88,080521,400★
Oil Production158,300192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves532.7★15
Population Below Poverty Line27.5 people★55.5 people
Public Debt35.2★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.16 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.3 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends7.74 %★3.37 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption250,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports62,640105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports65,400195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production166,600487,100★
Remittances1.7★0.2
Robotics Research Funding0.16 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)7.99★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)15.92 %★25.95 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)15.92 % of GDP25.95 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues15.926★
Top Exporting Countries82.54B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.09 %★-0.51 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.26 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.26 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate4.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate72.86 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate9.45 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)4.18M3.23M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-299,339.06 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature19.16 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions58.9★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution2,364.46 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionapproximately one third of the population resides along the desert coastal belt in the west, with a strong focus on the capital city of Lima; the Andean highlands, or sierra, contain roughly half of the population; the eastern slopes of the Andes and adjothe 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 Adaptation22.26 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage22.1 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country303 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources1.8851.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species51 species33 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.47 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)237.79★85.66
Agricultural land254,750.8 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.28M★1.21M
Coastline Length (km)2,414 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita163.74 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land25,800★16,700

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country26.73 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions24★9
Corruption Perception Index31 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score31 index41 index★
Independence2831★
LGBT Rights Index Score6.9210.94★
Prison Population Rate299 per 100,000260 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception31★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water49.43 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults26.2 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate89 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)28.41★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.47.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders77.94 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.65 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,243.74 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score68 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.2 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy77.94 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.4 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.6 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence7.47 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate3.25 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)51 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth22.222.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density2.7 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)19.7 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending26.98 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS91,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People3 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)3.57 %4.08 %★
Total Number of Doctors1.65★0.79
Underweight Children Under 52.7★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel81,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.81 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)158,000★89,000

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)52.06 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.64★0.42
Life expectancy at birth82.78 years★71.98 years
Median age of population30.52 years★29 years
Population Change392,941.5 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density27.29 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population34.94M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.84★0.83
Beer Consumption per Capita2.8 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)16.43 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate77.4 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate15.75 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)9.79 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.2 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age9.29M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)74.01 %★24.86 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate11.68 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.83 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.53★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate18.9227.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.15 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population11.2 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)165.23166.68★
Mean Years of Schooling9.96 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1718★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio13.48 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization74.19 %79.63 %★
Physician Density1.69 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.55 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums42.57 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio17.98★30.33
Total deaths144,928.3 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)59.43 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.92 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration3,559 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate11.59 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.52 %★1.34 %

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.42★0.37
Airports174573★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel4490★
Heliports749★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita4.86B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇵🇪 Peru🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate4.25 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Peru vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 87% more people than Peru (65.49 million vs 34.94 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 28% larger than Peru's ($424.75 billion vs $332.5 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Peru is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $9,518 in Peru vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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