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Qatar vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 168 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Qatar
qat
Leads on 84 of 168 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 73 of 168 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 20.6 times as many people as Qatar (65.49 million vs 3.18 million). South Africa's economy is 55% larger than Qatar's ($424.75 billion vs $274.1 billion GDP).

Comparing Qatar and South Africa: South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against Qatar (1.44); Qatar leads on Major Urban Areas Population (798,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); South Africa leads on Oil Exports (54,930) against Qatar (1.04). Across 168 compared metrics, Qatar wins on 84 and South Africa wins on 73.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 61 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration11.82 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)98.09 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)99.65 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 100% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed11.82 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score58.25 points75.71 points★
Radios256,000★17
Televisions230,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

61 metrics
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country789.72M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars274.10B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)30.64 %★15.67 %
Apple Import Volume27.93M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate65.88 %★53.65 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.95 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index86.1★59.6
Electricity Consumption37.24207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels100★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity8.850.02★
Electricity Production39.78234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)814.31 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate63.62 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient41.163★
Gross Fixed Investment28.2★19.5
Gross National Saving50.2★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage31.26 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries110,135.7 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.6 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate1.27 %★4.36 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.3 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)5 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption39.9★5.07
Natural Gas Exports126.5★0
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production166.4906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves24.07★0
Oil Consumption166,000553,000★
Oil Exports1.0454,930★
Oil Imports4,108521,400★
Oil Production1.44192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves25.38★15
Population Below Poverty LineNA55.5 people
Public Debt46.7★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.68 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.8 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends8.16 %★7.68 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption277,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports485,000★105,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports12,300195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production273,800487,100★
Remittances0.7★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million947.78 researchers★454.8 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.68 USD★0.61 USD
Taxes and Other Revenues26.4★26.11
Top Exporting Countries161.69B USD★136.71B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.41 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires27★
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.86 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.86 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate0.2 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate87.01 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate0.56 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)6.27M3.23M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature27.88 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions127.78★446.7
Continental Shelfnot specific;200
Global Precipitation Distribution59.43 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionmost of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsulathe 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 Adaptation15.54 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage15.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.06 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources58★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species4 species★33 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization7.24 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)085.66★
Agricultural land740 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km11,4901.21M★
Coastline Length (km)563 km2,798 km★
Irrigated Land13016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country84.03 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions89★
Corruption Perception Index59 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score59 index★41 index
Independence331★
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.3410.94★
Prison Population Rate38 per 100,000★342 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception5941★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water95.35 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults28.8 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate99 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)28★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)24.6★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders82.52 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.28 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita2,289.32 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score84 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy82.52 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.2 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.3 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.22 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence9.96 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)4 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density7.25 per 1,000 people★1.2 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)35.1 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending7.43 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS<200 (2020 est.)7.8
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors2.5★0.74
Underweight Children Under 52.3★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel17,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)6.5 %0.85 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)22,00089,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)62.44 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.67★0.42
Life expectancy at birth84.14 years★71.98 years
Median age of population34.17 years★29 years
Population Change69,686 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density275.98 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population3.18M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.10.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.35 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)9.19 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate37.5 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate9.52 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)1.42 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.2 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age590,690.4 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)72.16 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate11.82 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.76 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.360.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate2.1227.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.32 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population798,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)170.48★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling8.52 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligationtypically 18-30 for voluntary service for men and women; compulsory military service for men 18-35; compulsory service is from 4-12 months, depending on educational and professional circumstances (2025) note: the military incorporates about 2,000 conscrip18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio1.89 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization93.46 %★79.63 %
Physician Density3.02 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.57 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio11.63★30.33
Total deaths3,285.8 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)42.25 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.75 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration42,281.1 persons★39,599.6 persons
Under-five mortality rate6.98 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.96 %★1.34 %

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.3★0.37
Airports8573★
Civil Air Travel390★
Heliports1249★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita23.60B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇶🇦 Qatar🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate4.1 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Qatar vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 20.6 times as many people as Qatar (65.49 million vs 3.18 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 55% larger than Qatar's ($424.75 billion vs $274.1 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Qatar is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $86,103 in Qatar vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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