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Portugal vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 177 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Portugal
prt
Leads on 95 of 177 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 73 of 177 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 6.3 times as many people as Portugal (65.49 million vs 10.4 million). South Africa's economy is 21% larger than Portugal's ($424.75 billion vs $351.06 billion GDP).

Comparing Portugal and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Portugal (42,000); South Africa leads on Population living in slums (23.64 %) against Portugal (-0.02 %); Portugal leads on Apple Import Volume (53.07 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes). Across 177 compared metrics, Portugal wins on 95 and South Africa wins on 73.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 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: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇹 Portugal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration45.24 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)88.49 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)85.79 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 86% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed45.24 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score84.26 points★75.71 points
Radios3.0217★
Televisions3.316★
Waterways820NA

Economy

67 metrics
Metric🇵🇹 Portugal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country5.07B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars351.06B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)20.37 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume53.07M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate91.4 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)3.21 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends31.5 %★28 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.4 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index90.9★59.6
Electricity Consumption46.94207.1★
Electricity Exports9.716.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4185★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants25★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables35★10
Electricity Imports4.6210.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity20.5650.02★
Electricity Production56.9234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)73.29 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate75.96 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage5.5 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap5.5 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient34.663★
Gross Fixed Investment16.119.5★
Gross National Saving16.8★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage42.93 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries42,576.81 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.2 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate2.34 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.4 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption6.26★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports6.54★4.16
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Number of AI Patents Filed4 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption277,400553,000★
Oil Exports49,65054,930★
Oil Imports294,600521,400★
Oil Production4,721192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line16.4 people★55.5 people
Public Debt125.776.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.69 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1.9 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption247,200621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports143,500★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports78,700195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production323,000487,100★
Remittances0.6★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million5,686.65 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding1.69 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.78★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)22.35 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)22.35 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues22.826★
Top Exporting Countries143.39B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)4.3 %★0.58 %
Total Number of Billionaires17★
Tourism Contribution to GDP8.6 %★3.54 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)8.6 %★3.54 %
Unemployment Rate6.4 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate58.16 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate20.22 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇵🇹 Portugal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-2.08M★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate5,648 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature16.17 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions38.27★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution1,041.61 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionconcentrations are primarily along or near the Atlantic coast; both Lisbon and the second largest city, Porto, are coastal citiesthe 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 Adaptation22.93 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage23 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources77.4★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species15 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇵🇹 Portugal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization4.97 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)40.9185.66★
Agricultural land41,313.78 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km91,605.61.21M★
Coastline Length (km)1,793 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita1,106.83 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land5,66216,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇹 Portugal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country83.2 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions18★9
Corruption Perception Index57 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score57 index★41 index
Independence114★31
LGBT Rights Index Score9.9810.94★
Prison Population Rate121 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception5741★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇵🇹 Portugal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water95.22 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults26.1 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate99 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)15.82★89.28
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)10.5★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders82.38 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.22 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita5,558.59 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score83 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10.6 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy82.38 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.5 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density3.4 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita3.37 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence8.92 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)15 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth29.2★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density7.85 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)20.8 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending29.31 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS42,0007.8★
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)6.12 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors5.85★0.79
Underweight Children Under 50.9★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇵🇹 Portugal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel27,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.71 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)52,00089,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇵🇹 Portugal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)46.43 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.8★0.42
Life expectancy at birth85.82 years★71.98 years
Median age of population47.31 years★29 years
Population Change-30,996.2 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density113.39 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population10.40M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.830.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA
Beer Consumption per Capita3.38 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)8.03 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate73.9 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate7.9 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)10.92 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.6 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age2.10M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)85.41 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate45.24 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.48 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.64★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate5.4627.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school11.75 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother42 days★0 days
Major Urban Areas Population3 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)172.93★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling9.56 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age20★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio38.23 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization71.36 %79.63 %★
Physician Density5.85 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.11 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums-0.02 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio13.31★30.33
Total deaths114,964.3 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)61.45 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.6 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-5,390 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate2.88 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.3 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population75.29 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇵🇹 Portugal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)2.78★0.37
Airports128573★
Civil Air Travel4390★
Heliports65★49

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇵🇹 Portugal🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita35.36B USD★6.72B USD

Frequently Asked Questions About Portugal vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 6.3 times as many people as Portugal (65.49 million vs 10.4 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 21% larger than Portugal's ($424.75 billion vs $351.06 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Portugal is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $33,761 in Portugal vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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