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Geo Factbook

Russia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 179 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Russia
rus
Leads on 105 of 179 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 63 of 179 metrics

Summary

Russia has 2.2 times as many people as South Africa (143.17 million vs 65.49 million). Russia's economy is 6.2 times the size of South Africa's ($2.61 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing Russia and South Africa: South Africa leads on Oil Consumption (553,000) against Russia (2.94); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (621,000) against Russia (3.65); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against Russia (6.08). Across 179 compared metrics, Russia wins on 105 and South Africa wins on 63.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 68 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 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🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration27.13 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)94.36 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)92.25 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 92% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed27.13 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score24.57 points75.71 points★
Radios61.5★17
Televisions60.5★6
Waterways95,900NA

Economy

68 metrics
Metric🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country111.04B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars2.61T $★424.75B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)26.3 %★14.07 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate79.34 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)10 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue0.532.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.55 %★10.38 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends20 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index93.1★59.6
Electricity Consumption909.6★207.1
Electricity Exports13.1316.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels6885★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants21★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels11★4
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports3.1910.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity244.9★50.02
Electricity Production1.03234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)224.86 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate71.94 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage24.83 %★9.52 %
Gender Wage Gap24.83 %9.52 %★
Gini Index Coefficient3663★
Gross Fixed Investment23.2★19.5
Gross National Saving26.5★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage29.99 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries42,357.99 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate8.72 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)6.7 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)7 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption467.5★5.07
Natural Gas Exports210.2★0
Natural Gas Imports15.77★4.16
Natural Gas Production665.6906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves47.8★0
Number of AI Patents Filed56 patents★22 patents
Oil Consumption2.94553,000★
Oil Exports7.354,930★
Oil Imports42,750521,400★
Oil Production10.13192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves60★15
Population Below Poverty Line11 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)16.28 % of GDP★10.77 % of GDP
Public Debt18.5★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.91 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.3 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends5.82 %7.42 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption3.65621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports2.67105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports41,920195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production6.08487,100★
Remittances0.10.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million2,657.94 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.91 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.05★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)10.87 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)10.87 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.126★
Top Exporting Countries476.43B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.9 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires147★7
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.39 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.39 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate2.6 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate61.11 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate7.61 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)47.39M3.23M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate839,550 %★87,566.02 %
Average Annual Temperature-2.35 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions1.84★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution597.13 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionpopulation is heavily concentrated in the westernmost fifth of the country, extending from the Baltic Sea south to the Caspian Sea, and eastward parallel to the Kazakh border; elsewhere, sizeable population pockets are isolated and generally found in the the 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 Adaptation11.48 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage11.5 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country788 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources4.5351.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.29 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)77.3385.66★
Agricultural land2.15M sq. km★963,410 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km16.38M★1.21M
Coastline Length (km)37,653 km★2,798 km
Dam capacity per capita5,538.47 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land43,000★16,700

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country1.68 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions46★9
Corruption Perception Index22 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score22 index41 index★
Independence2531★
LGBT Rights Index Score3.0210.94★
Prison Population Rate363 per 100,000259 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception22★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water76.26 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults25.8 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate97 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)17.03★89.28
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)5.97.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders73.44 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.32 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita4,235.46 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score81 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.4 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy73.44 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density8.1 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita8.69 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence7.27 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)9 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth24.6★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density7.04 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)23.1 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending28.39 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS1★7.8
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People13 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors5.11★0.79
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel1.19M personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)7.5 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)1.45M★89,000

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)53.91 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.77★0.42
Life expectancy at birth81.33 years★71.98 years
Median age of population40.61 years★29 years
Population Change-917,387.6 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density8.78 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population143.17M persons★65.49M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.180.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsB-C★A
Beer Consumption per Capita3.07 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)8.27 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate68 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate8.4 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)13.93 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.2 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age33.21M persons★18.20M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)98.13 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate27.13 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.63 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.380.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate72.52★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school12.66 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population12.68 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)176.46★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling11.6 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio25.19 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.31 %79.63 %★
Physician Density5.11 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.49 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums2.46 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio20.14★30.33
Total deaths1.62M persons540,582.7 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)56.39 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.44 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-487,124.9 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate4.79 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.08 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population77.76 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.65★0.37
Airports905★573
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)2★0
Civil Air TravelNA major transport aircraft90
Heliports494★49

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita8.58B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇷🇺 Russia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate14.5 %★7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Russia vs South Africa

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

Russia. Russia has 2.2 times as many people as South Africa (143.17 million vs 65.49 million). Data for 2026.

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

Russia. Russia's economy is 6.2 times the size of South Africa's ($2.61 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Russia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $18,253 in Russia vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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