Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

South Africa vs South Korea: Compare Statistics

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

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 59 of 179 metrics
South Korea
kor
Leads on 109 of 179 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 27% more people than South Korea (65.49 million vs 51.62 million). South Korea's economy is 4.5 times the size of South Africa's ($1.91 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing South Africa and South Korea: South Africa leads on Oil Consumption (553,000) against South Korea (2.25); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (621,000) against South Korea (2.58); South Africa leads on Oil Imports (521,400) against South Korea (3.07). Across 179 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 59 and South Korea wins on 109.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 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🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants47.8 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %97.9 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %97.42 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 97% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed5.35 Mbps47.8 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★64.06 points
Radios1747.5★
Televisions615.9★
WaterwaysNA1,609

Economy

67 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $30.14B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $1.91T $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)14.07 %29.97 %★
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.13 %96.89 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %★1.5 %
Coal Revenue2.4★0
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %★3.48 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★7.6 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.693.4★
Electricity Consumption207.1507.6★
Electricity Exports16.55★0
Electricity from Fossil Fuels85★70
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants12★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels421★
Electricity from Other Renewables10★8
Electricity Imports10.56★0
Electricity Installed Capacity50.02111.2★
Electricity Production234.5526★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita234.67 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %64.39 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage9.52 %29.99 %★
Gender Wage Gap9.52 %★29.99 %
Gini Index Coefficient63★31.4
Gross Fixed Investment19.527.4★
Gross National Saving16.136.6★
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %71.87 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD55,697.09 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %1.1 %★
Inflation Rate3.21 %2.12 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %2.3 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP2.3 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.0745.28★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports4.1648.65★
Natural Gas Production906.1★339.8
Natural Gas Proved Reserves07.08★
Number of AI Patents Filed22 patents9,682 patents★
Oil Consumption553,000★2.25
Oil Exports54,930907,100★
Oil Imports521,400★3.07
Oil Production192,100★48,400
Oil Proved Reserves15★0
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people14.4 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)11.46 % of GDP23.85 % of GDP★
Public Debt76.252.3★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.61 %4.85 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD1.4 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends7.68 %★1.03 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★2.58
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600★1.4
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200908,800★
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★3.3
Remittances0.20.4★
Researchers in R&D per Million444.16 researchers9,434.76 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.61 USD4.85 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)31.210.24★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)25.88 %13.29 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)25.88 % of GDP★13.29 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26★15.7
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD831.89B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-0.51 %0.84 %★
Total Number of Billionaires749★
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.7 %★2.5 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.7 %★2.5 %
Unemployment Rate33.2 %2.7 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %★64.35 %
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %6.7 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M-5.50M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★-3,774.02 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C★13.4 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.7★644.23
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm1,270.38 mm★
Population Distributionthe 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 mapthe population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is high; Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province; Gangwon in the northea
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km17.76 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %17.7 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year13.3 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.3569.7★
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species12 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %11.86 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.66131.69★
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★15,174 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★97,600
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km★2,413 km
Dam capacity per capita464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★362.21 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land16,700★7,780

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %85.98 %★
Administrative Divisions99
Corruption Perception Index41 index★64 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index64 index★
Independence31★15
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★2.94
Prison Population Rate259 per 100,000105 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception41★64
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %99.28 %★
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²★24.4 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %97 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)102.059.92★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.29.6★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years83.63 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births0.17 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD5,766.77 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score74 score88 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP9.7 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years83.63 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %NA
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km12.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,0008.88 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.64 %7.46 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate0.11 cases per 1,000★0.18 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %4 %★
Mean Age at First Birth22.530.3★
Nurses and Midwives Density6.39 per 1,000 people9.09 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %4.7 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★31.75 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8NA
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)4.08 %5.1 %★
Total Number of Doctors0.792.61★
Underweight Children Under 54.90.4★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel555,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.74 %★2.6 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000569,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %42.12 %★
Human Capital Index0.420.8★
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years87.65 years★
Median age of population29 years46.18 years★
Population Change673,269.7 persons★-34,023.3 persons
Population density53.74 per sq. km★521.76 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons★51.62M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.830.85★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAAA-A★
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★1.67 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %★4.29 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %82.3 %★
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people★4.7 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.56 %★6.94 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★5.8 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★10.86M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.84 %99.22 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate5.35 %47.8 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female105.75 male/female★
Human Development Index0.480.82★
Labor Force Participation Rate27.7729.71★
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years11.74 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days365 days★
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people★9.99 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68174.92★
Mean Years of Schooling10.47 years13.68 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %★25.91 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %90.48 %★
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km2.61 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.06 %★-0.09 %
Population living in slums23.64 %★5.46 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.3316.55★
Total deaths540,582.7 persons375,161.5 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★54.27 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman★0.72 per woman
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons106,057.5 persons★
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births2.38 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %★-0.12 %
Voting Age Population39.64 millions66.19 millions★

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.371.32★
Airports573★92
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel9093★
Heliports491,280★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.72B USD22.00B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇰🇷 South KoreaShare
Current Bank Rate7 %★2.5 %

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs South Korea

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

South Africa. South Africa has 27% more people than South Korea (65.49 million vs 51.62 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Korea. South Korea's economy is 4.5 times the size of South Africa's ($1.91 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Korea is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $36,950 in South Korea vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More South Africa comparisons

More South Korea comparisons