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Romania vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 181 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Romania
rou
Leads on 94 of 181 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 78 of 181 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 3.5 times as many people as Romania (65.49 million vs 18.8 million). Romania and South Africa have economies of similar size ($442.89 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing Romania and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Romania (19,000); Romania leads on Apple Import Volume (102.68 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); Romania leads on HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate (0.20 %) against South Africa (18.30 %). Across 181 compared metrics, Romania wins on 94 and South Africa wins on 78.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 69 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: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration35.8 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)91.29 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)89.2 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 89% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed35.8 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score66.42 points75.71 points★
Radios7.217★
Televisions5.256★
Waterways1,724NA

Economy

69 metrics
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country16.27B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars442.89B $★424.75B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)25 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume102.68M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate71.34 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)1.75 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.032.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)5.57 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends16 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.6 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index87.7★59.6
Electricity Consumption49.64207.1★
Electricity Exports11.2216.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4785★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants29★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels6★4
Electricity from Other Renewables19★10
Electricity Imports4.1810.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity23.9450.02★
Electricity Production61.78234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)59.38 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate57.6 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage2.2 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap2.2 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient33.963★
Gross Fixed Investment26.4★19.5
Gross National Saving21.1★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage59.4 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries40,845.98 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.9 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate7.19 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)5.7 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.3 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption11.58★5.07
Natural Gas Exports22.65★0
Natural Gas Imports1.224.16★
Natural Gas Production10.87906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves105.5★0
Number of AI Patents Filed12 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption196,000553,000★
Oil Exports95,500★54,930
Oil Imports193,100521,400★
Oil Production107,100192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves600★15
Population Below Poverty Line21.2 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)19.42 % of GDP★12.02 % of GDP
Public Debt50.9★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.46 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.8 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends0.29 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption198,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports103,000105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports49,420195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production232,600487,100★
Remittances2.5★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million998.73 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.46 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)8.89★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)16.21 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)16.21 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues16.226★
Top Exporting Countries136.20B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.19 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires67★
Tourism Contribution to GDP1.58 %2.26 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)1.58 %2.26 %★
Unemployment Rate5.4 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate51.33 %★55.58 %
Youth Unemployment Rate24.54 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)685,376★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate5,616.02 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature11.05 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions61.42★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution690.52 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionurbanization is not particularly high, and the population distribution is fairly even throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populationsthe 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 Adaptation24.63 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage24.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country8.46 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources212.01★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species14 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.11 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)207.5★85.66
Agricultural land118,778 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km230,0801.21M★
Coastline Length (km)225 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita590.53 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land5,28016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country63.14 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions41★9
Corruption Perception Index46 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score46 index★41 index
Independence931★
LGBT Rights Index Score4.9610.94★
Prison Population Rate129 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4641★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water82.18 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate78 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)10.27★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.5★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.46 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.35 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita3,167.1 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score77 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.46 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.2 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density6.9 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita6.59 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence8.82 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)12 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth26★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density8.25 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.5 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending22.96 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS19,0007.8★
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)4.39 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors3.63★0.79
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel72,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.28 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)128,000★89,000

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)53.04 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.58★0.42
Life expectancy at birth81.09 years★71.98 years
Median age of population43.42 years★29 years
Population Change-92,387.5 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density81.9 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population18.80M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.750.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsA-B★A
Beer Consumption per Capita4.95 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)8.45 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate7.5 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)14.28 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age3.98M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)62.96 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate35.8 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.42 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.55★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate8.2627.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school8.2 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother30 days★0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.78 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)174.74★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling11.28 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age20★18
Military Service Age and Obligationtypically 18-35 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; compulsory service ended in 2007 (2025) note: in 2025, the Romanian Government approved a voluntary service plan for citizens aged 18 to 35 to apply for a four-month basic military trai18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio30.68 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization55.21 %79.63 %★
Physician Density3.63 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.86 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums1.91 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio18.91★30.33
Total deaths224,274.3 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)59.15 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.71 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-44,837 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate5.91 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.16 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population55.92 millions★47.28 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.61★0.37
Airports103573★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel5990★
Heliports2449★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.15B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇷🇴 Romania🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate6.5 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Romania vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 3.5 times as many people as Romania (65.49 million vs 18.8 million). Data for 2026.

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

Romania. Romania and South Africa have economies of similar size ($442.89 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Romania is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $23,555 in Romania vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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