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Serbia vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 169 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Serbia
srb
Leads on 83 of 169 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 79 of 169 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 9.9 times as many people as Serbia (65.49 million vs 6.64 million). South Africa's economy is 4.0 times the size of Serbia's ($424.75 billion vs $105.51 billion GDP).

Comparing Serbia and South Africa: Serbia leads on Apple Import Volume (27.43 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Serbia (3,300); Serbia leads on Remittances (7.10) against South Africa (0.20). Across 169 compared metrics, Serbia wins on 83 and South Africa wins on 79.

  • Communications: 6 metrics compared
  • Economy: 64 metrics compared
  • Environment: 10 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

6 metrics
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration33.37 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)87.69 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)85.36 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 85% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed33.37 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score53.55 points75.71 points★

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country5.16B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars105.51B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)25.03 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume27.43M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate83.25 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3.5 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.252.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)8.2 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends15 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.5 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index96.6★59.6
Electricity Consumption29.81207.1★
Electricity Exports6.4316.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels6585★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants35★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports5.0710.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity7.3450.02★
Electricity Production36.54234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)91.88 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate69.14 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient33.163★
Gross Fixed Investment18.419.5★
Gross National Saving15.316.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage43.39 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries27,603.39 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)2.9 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate3.89 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.7 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.5 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption2.725.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports2.014.16★
Natural Gas Production509.7906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves48.14★0
Number of AI Patents Filed6 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption88,000553,000★
Oil Exports4,81554,930★
Oil Imports78,600521,400★
Oil Production14,310192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves77.5★15
Population Below Poverty Line21.2 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)16.66 % of GDP★12.02 % of GDP
Public Debt73.1★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.92 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.9 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends-0.18 %3.49 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption74,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports15,750105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports18,720195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production74,350487,100★
Remittances7.1★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million2,349.68 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.92 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)8.88★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)23.89 %★26.02 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)23.89 % of GDP26.02 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues23.926★
Top Exporting Countries48.28B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.94 %★-0.51 %
Unemployment Rate7.4 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate59.14 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate20.93 %★59.93 %

Environment

10 metrics
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-887,880★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate39,679.98 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature12.22 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions44.78★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution661.73 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributiona fairly even distribution 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 Adaptation15.67 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage14 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Water Resources162.2★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species8 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.74 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)156.99★85.66
Agricultural land34,930 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km84,0901.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita345.63 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land55016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country51.23 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions117★9
Corruption Perception Index35 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score35 index41 index★
Independence531★
LGBT Rights Index Score5.6910.94★
Prison Population Rate153 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception35★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water74.97 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults26.6 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate84 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)22.01★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)10.5★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders75.97 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.46 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita2,856.3 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score73 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy75.97 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.1%18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density5.6 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita5.31 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence6.2 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)11 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth27.5★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density6.69 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)21.5 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending32.14 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS3,3007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People6 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)5.34 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors3.1★0.79
Underweight Children Under 51★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel28,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.76 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)32,00089,000★

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)51.54 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.75★0.42
Life expectancy at birth81.99 years★71.98 years
Median age of population44.56 years★29 years
Population Change-34,673.3 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density86.8 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population6.64M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.60.83★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA-A★A
Beer Consumption per Capita3.7 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)8.72 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate62.3 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate9.2 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)14.66 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.4 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.42M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)87.74 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate33.37 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.82 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.460.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate3.2327.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school11.35 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.41 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)180.57★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling11.72 years★10.47 years
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio35.26 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization65.92 %79.63 %★
Physician Density3.1 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.6 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums1.3 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio15.24★30.33
Total deaths77,453.4 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)53.17 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.49 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-14,087.4 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate4.33 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.16 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population63.49 millions★53.77 millions

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.39★0.37
Airports46573★
Heliports1149★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita3.47B USD5.96B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇷🇸 Serbia🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate5.75 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Serbia vs South Africa

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

South Africa. South Africa has 9.9 times as many people as Serbia (65.49 million vs 6.64 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 4.0 times the size of Serbia's ($424.75 billion vs $105.51 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Serbia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $15,886 in Serbia vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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