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Solomon Islands vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 149 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Solomon Islands
slb
Leads on 57 of 149 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 82 of 149 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 76.3 times as many people as Solomon Islands (65.49 million vs 858,093). South Africa's economy is 274 times the size of Solomon Islands's ($424.75 billion vs $1.55 billion GDP).

Comparing Solomon Islands and South Africa: Solomon Islands leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (435,600) against South Africa (27.77); Solomon Islands leads on Major Urban Areas Population (82,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Solomon Islands leads on Radios (57,000) against South Africa (17). Across 149 compared metrics, Solomon Islands wins on 57 and South Africa wins on 82.

  • Communications: 8 metrics compared
  • Economy: 53 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 21 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 35 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

8 metrics
Metric🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.11 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants3.12 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)29.04 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)42.46 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 43% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.11 Mbps3.12 Mbps★
Radios57,000★17
Televisions3,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

53 metrics
Metric🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country516.95M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars1.55B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)19.46 %★14.07 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.7 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.5 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index53.459.6★
Electricity Consumption95.79207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels92★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables810★
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity38,000★50.02
Electricity Production103234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)5.66 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate84.25 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient37.163★
Gross National Saving13.116.1★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries2,382.13 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.7 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate3.36 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)5.9 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3.7 % of GDP★1.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption2,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports1,485521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line12.7 people★55.5 people
Public Debt15.4★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.5 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends5.8 %★0.6 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption1,600621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports1,577195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances5.4★0.2
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)62.1942.11★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)23.27 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)23.27 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues20.726★
Top Exporting Countries642.59M USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.08 %★0.58 %
Unemployment Rate1.5 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate84.3 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate2.76 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)12,888★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-734.03 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature26.67 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions318,000446.7★
Global Precipitation Distribution4,108.92 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionmost of the population lives along the coastal regions; about one in five live in urban areas, and of these about two thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief portthe 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 Adaptation2.6 sq km9.88 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage2.4 %9.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country11.92 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources44.751.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species24 species★33 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.64 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)95.78★85.66
Agricultural land1,127.4 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km27,9901.21M★
Coastline Length (km)5,313 km★2,798 km
Irrigated Land016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country34.4 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions99
Corruption Perception Index43 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score43 index★41 index
Independence731★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.3910.94★
Prison Population Rate77 per 100,000★286 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4341★
Suffrage Participation Rate21★18

Health

21 metrics
Metric🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults25.7 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate78 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)12★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders70.69 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.1 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita175.6 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score47 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.8 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy70.69 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.4 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence13.23 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate224.28 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)123 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth21.622.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.99 per 1,000 people★1.2 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.5 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending3.16 %★6.69 %
People Living With HIV/AIDSNA7.8
Total Number of Doctors0.180.75★
Underweight Children Under 516.25.5★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel0 personnel74,000 personnel★

People and Society

35 metrics
Metric🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)64.07 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.390.42★
Life expectancy at birth73.06 years★71.98 years
Median age of population20.91 years29 years★
Population Change19,998 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density29.77 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population858,093 persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.9★0.83
Beer Consumption per Capita0.76 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)21.57 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate29.3 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate26.71 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)3.94 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age213,983.35 persons18.20M persons★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.11 %3.12 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.7 male/female★103.52 male/female
Labor Force Participation Rate435,600★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school3.37 years4.88 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population82,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)164.14166.68★
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.15 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization24.5 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.24 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.62 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums1.15 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio25.73★30.33
Total deaths4,081.3 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)37.74 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.4 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration1,680.7 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate16.06 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate4.44 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population74.96 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.340.37★
Airports36573★
Civil Air Travelno major transport aircraft90
Heliports249★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita55.07M USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Solomon Islands vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Solomon Islands or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 76.3 times as many people as Solomon Islands (65.49 million vs 858,093). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Solomon Islands or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 274 times the size of Solomon Islands's ($424.75 billion vs $1.55 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Solomon Islands or South Africa?▾

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $1,804 in Solomon Islands (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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