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South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 178 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 89 of 178 metrics
Sri Lanka
lka
Leads on 77 of 178 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 2.8 times as many people as Sri Lanka (65.49 million vs 23.36 million). South Africa's economy is 4.4 times the size of Sri Lanka's ($424.75 billion vs $95.71 billion GDP).

Comparing South Africa and Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka leads on Major Urban Areas Population (103,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Sri Lanka (3,700); South Africa leads on Oil Production (192,100) against Sri Lanka (637). Across 178 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 89 and Sri Lanka wins on 77.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 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: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants8.47 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %★54.59 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %★51.2 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 51% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed5.35 Mbps8.47 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★39.93 points
Radios17★3.85
Televisions6★1.53
WaterwaysNA430

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $★7.28B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $★95.71B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)14.07 %26.96 %★
Apple Import Volume48,832 tonnes6.78M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.13 %81.69 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %7.25 %★
Coal Revenue2.4★0
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %11.6 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★3.8 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.673.3★
Electricity Consumption207.1★12.67
Electricity Exports16.55★0
Electricity from Fossil Fuels85★52
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants142★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels4★0
Electricity from Other Renewables10★6
Electricity Imports10.56★0
Electricity Installed Capacity50.02★4
Electricity Production234.5★13.66
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita★12.37 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %★35.45 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage9.52 %12.43 %★
Gender Wage Gap9.52 %★12.43 %
Gini Index Coefficient63★37.7
Gross Fixed Investment19.527.7★
Gross National Saving16.133.8★
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %★10.15 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD14,582.76 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %11 %★
Inflation Rate3.21 %-4.76 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %-0.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP1.5 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.07★0
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports4.16★0
Natural Gas Production906.1★0
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Number of AI Patents Filed3 patents★1 patents
Oil Consumption553,000★92,000
Oil Exports54,930★0
Oil Imports521,400★84,730
Oil Production192,100★637
Oil Proved Reserves15★0
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people14.3 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)15.88 % of GDP17.34 % of GDP★
Public Debt76.2★79.1
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.61 %★0.11 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD5 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends5.27 %7.1 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★116,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600★3,871
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200★66,280
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★34,210
Remittances0.27.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million444.16 researchers★94.49 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.61 USD★0.11 USD
Tax Burden (% of GDP)25.4 %9.88 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)25.4 % of GDP★9.88 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26★9.9
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD★19.68B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.58 %0.76 %★
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.76 %3.34 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.76 %3.34 %★
Unemployment Rate33.2 %5 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %48.52 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %18.58 %★

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M1.66M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★-4,943.99 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C26.93 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.719.15★
Continental Shelf200edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm2,057.11 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 within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km30.67 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %30.8 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year7.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.3552.8★
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species30 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %25.97 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.66★79.16
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★28,125.72 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★61,860
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km★1,340 km
Dam capacity per capita464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★253.3 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land16,700★5,700

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★48.13 %
Administrative Divisions99
Corruption Perception Index41 index32 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index★32 index
Independence31★4
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★-0.39
Prison Population Rate259 per 100,000121 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception4132★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %★46.93 %
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²★22.5 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %99 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)89.2846.23★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.210.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years77.67 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births0.59 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★570.27 USD
Health Coverage Index Score74 score★72 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★4.1 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years77.67 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %(2021 est.) <0.1%
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km4.2 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,0003.47 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.64 %★17.98 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0.11 cases per 1,0000 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %18 %★
Mean Age at First Birth22.525.4★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.01 per 1,000 people2.37 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %5.2 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★54.81 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8★3,700
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people★1 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors0.781.14★
Underweight Children Under 54.9★17.1

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel255,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.74 %★1.31 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000317,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %65.51 %★
Human Capital Index0.420.61★
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years81.36 years★
Median age of population29 years33.59 years★
Population Change673,269.7 persons★123,325.9 persons
Population density53.74 per sq. km★372.63 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons★23.36M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.83★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAAA★
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★0.5 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %★14.38 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %64.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people★10.1 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.56 %★7.65 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★1.8 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★5.84M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.84 %★26.05 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate5.35 %8.47 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female104.26 male/female★
Human Development Index0.480.5★
Labor Force Participation Rate27.77★8.5
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years8.78 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people103,000 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68★165.69
Mean Years of Schooling10.47 years★10.33 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation18generally 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women, although upper age limits may vary by branch of service, roles, specialties, etc; no conscription (2026)
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %★17.81 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %85.46 %★
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km1.14 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.06 %★0.22 %
Population living in slums23.64 %43.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.3323.15★
Total deaths540,582.7 persons163,254.1 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★50.6 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman★1.93 per woman
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons★-29,226 persons
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births5.8 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %★0.01 %
Voting Age Population39.64 millions74.23 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.37★0.2
Airports573★18
Civil Air Travel90★8
Heliports49★1

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita5.96B USD★2.37B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇱🇰 Sri LankaShare
Current Bank Rate7 %7.75 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Sri Lanka

Which has a larger population, South Africa or Sri Lanka?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 2.8 times as many people as Sri Lanka (65.49 million vs 23.36 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, South Africa or Sri Lanka?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 4.4 times the size of Sri Lanka's ($424.75 billion vs $95.71 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, South Africa or Sri Lanka?▾

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $4,098 in Sri Lanka (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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