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Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 171 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Saudi Arabia
sau
Leads on 85 of 171 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 74 of 171 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 86% more people than Saudi Arabia (65.49 million vs 35.17 million). Saudi Arabia's economy is 3.7 times the size of South Africa's ($1.56 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing Saudi Arabia and South Africa: South Africa leads on Oil Consumption (553,000) against Saudi Arabia (2.64); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against Saudi Arabia (2.48); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (621,000) against Saudi Arabia (3.29). Across 171 compared metrics, Saudi Arabia wins on 85 and South Africa wins on 74.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 20 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🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration44.07 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)100 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)100 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 100% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed44.07 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score27.94 points75.71 points★
Radios6.2517★
Televisions5.16★
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

65 metrics
Metric🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country30.82B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars1.56T $★424.75B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)30.24 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume228.82M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate78.84 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)2.5 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)8.3 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends0 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.4 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index76★59.6
Electricity Consumption296.2★207.1
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels100★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity82.94★50.02
Electricity Production324.1★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)349.69 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate34.89 %55.4 %★
Gini Index Coefficient45.963★
Gross Fixed Investment21.5★19.5
Gross National Saving30.1★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage31.11 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries63,051.05 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-1.3 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate2.08 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.7 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)7.1 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption109.3★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production109.3906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves8.62★0
Number of AI Patents Filed1 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption2.64553,000★
Oil Exports7.6454,930★
Oil Imports83,150521,400★
Oil Production10.52192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves262.6★15
Population Below Poverty LineNA55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)26.87 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt13.1★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.41 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1.8 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption3.29621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports1.78105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports609,600★195,200
Refined Petroleum Products Production2.48487,100★
Remittances00.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million958.19 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.41 USD0.61 USD★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)8.09 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)8.09 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues7.826★
Top Exporting Countries360.90B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.56 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires15★7
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.46 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.46 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate3.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate65.1 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate10.01 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)14.69M3.23M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate1,500 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature26.56 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions656.51446.7★
Continental Shelfnot specific;200
Global Precipitation Distribution51.43 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionhistorically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, 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 Adaptation24.77 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage18.5 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country2.2 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources2.451.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species11 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.52 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)26.6185.66★
Agricultural land1.74M sq. km★963,410 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km2.15M★1.21M
Coastline Length (km)2,640 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita29.56 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land7,57516,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country64.18 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions13★9
Corruption Perception Index59 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score59 index★41 index
Independence2331★
LGBT Rights Index Score-3.4810.94★
Prison Population Rate131 per 100,000★396 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception5941★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

20 metrics
Metric🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults28 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)23.1★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders78.98 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.4 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita3,758.53 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score83 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy78.98 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.2 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.31 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Malaria Incidence Rate0.02 cases per 1,000★0.74 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)7 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density6.23 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)35.4 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending14.12 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS12,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors3.48★0.79
Underweight Children Under 53.5★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel257,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)6.48 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)282,000★89,000

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)52.77 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.6★0.42
Life expectancy at birth82.13 years★71.98 years
Median age of population30.06 years★29 years
Population Change681,198 persons★673,269.7 persons
Population density16.53 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population35.17M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.070.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA
Birth Rate (%)13.41 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate27.9 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate16.5 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)3.51 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.1 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age8.25M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)78.45 %★29.68 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate44.07 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.97 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.310.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate17.1727.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school8.41 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population7.68 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)167.67★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling9.86 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1718★
Military Service Age and Obligationvoluntary military service for men (17-40) and women (typically 21-40, although maximum age may vary by role); no conscription (2025)18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio3.86 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization84.78 %★79.63 %
Physician Density3.41 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.72 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums0.55 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio10.9★30.33
Total deaths78,615 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)34.89 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.36 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration166,821.2 persons★39,599.6 persons
Under-five mortality rate7.26 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate4.82 %★1.34 %

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.36★0.37
Airports90573★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel104★90
Heliports69★49

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita46.34B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate4.25 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Saudi Arabia vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 86% more people than Saudi Arabia (65.49 million vs 35.17 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?▾

Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's economy is 3.7 times the size of South Africa's ($1.56 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?▾

Saudi Arabia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $44,398 in Saudi Arabia vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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