Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

South Africa vs Sweden: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 180 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 61 of 180 metrics
Sweden
swe
Leads on 108 of 180 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 6.1 times as many people as Sweden (65.49 million vs 10.71 million). Sweden's economy is 44% larger than South Africa's ($613.23 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing South Africa and Sweden: Sweden leads on Apple Import Volume (72.31 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Sweden (11,000); Sweden leads on Natural Gas Imports (764.50) against South Africa (4.16). Across 180 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 61 and Sweden wins on 108.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 68 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 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🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants40.62 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %95.53 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %95.7 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 96% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed5.35 Mbps40.62 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points88.13 points★
Radios17★8.25
Televisions6★4.6
WaterwaysNA2,052

Economy

68 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $★9.46B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $613.23B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)14.07 %25.36 %★
Apple Import Volume48,832 tonnes72.31M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.13 %98.57 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %★-0.5 %
Coal Revenue2.4★0
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %★1.93 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends28 %★22 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP10.9 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index59.698★
Electricity Consumption207.1★133.5
Electricity Exports16.5526.02★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels85★5
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants142★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels422★
Electricity from Other Renewables1032★
Electricity Imports10.5614.29★
Electricity Installed Capacity50.02★40.29
Electricity Production234.5★152.9
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita142.1 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %82.28 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage9.52 %9.94 %★
Gender Wage Gap9.52 %★9.94 %
Gini Index Coefficient63★29.8
Gross Fixed Investment19.5★18.2
Gross National Saving16.128.9★
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %56.77 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD63,362.46 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %0.3 %★
Inflation Rate3.21 %0.68 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %2.8 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP2.5 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.07764.5★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports4.16764.5★
Natural Gas Production906.1★0
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Number of AI Patents Filed22 patents★20 patents
Oil Consumption553,000★351,100
Oil Exports54,930243,200★
Oil Imports521,400546,500★
Oil Production192,100★4,833
Oil Proved Reserves15★0
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people16.1 people★
Public Debt76.236.9★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.61 %3.47 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD1 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends4.81 %★1.9 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★323,100
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600371,100★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200229,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★413,200
Remittances0.20.8★
Researchers in R&D per Million444.16 researchers8,639.24 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.61 USD3.47 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)31.210.53★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)25.88 %★27.23 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)25.88 % of GDP27.23 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues2627.6★
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD327.88B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-0.51 %2.86 %★
Total Number of Billionaires750★
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.26 %★1.93 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.26 %★1.93 %
Unemployment Rate33.2 %8.6 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %★64.6 %
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %24.31 %★

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M1.39M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★-9,200 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C★5.21 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.743.96★
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm809.91 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 mapmost of the population lives in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km16.13 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %15.8 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year20 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.35174★
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species1 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %★1.04 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.66★72.47
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★29,942.1 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★407,270
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km3,218 km★
Dam capacity per capita464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant3,323.51 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land16,700★510

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %90.5 %★
Administrative Divisions921★
Corruption Perception Index41 index★80 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index80 index★
Independence31★6
LGBT Rights Index Score10.9411★
Prison Population Rate259 per 100,00073 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception41★80
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %99.76 %★
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²26.7 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %93 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)102.0511.4★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.2★5.8
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years84.06 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births0.25 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD8,358.89 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score74 score85 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP10.7 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years84.06 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %NA
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km★2.2 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,0002.73 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.64 %4.12 %★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %4 %★
Mean Age at First Birth22.528.9★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.01 per 1,000 people11.43 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %20.6 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★12.96 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8★11,000
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)4.08 %9.7 %★
Total Number of Doctors0.784.41★
Underweight Children Under 55.5NA

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel★15,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.74 %★2.47 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000★15,000

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %52.21 %★
Human Capital Index0.420.82★
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years85.5 years★
Median age of population29 years40.43 years★
Population Change673,269.7 persons★39,473.4 persons
Population density53.74 per sq. km26.33 per sq. km★
Total population65.49M persons★10.71M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.830.93★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAB-C★
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★2.75 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %★10.56 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %70.3 %★
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people★9.3 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.56 %★9.63 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP7.3 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★2.28M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.84 %104.13 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate5.35 %40.62 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female105.74 male/female★
Human Development Index0.480.8★
Labor Force Participation Rate27.77★5.7
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years12.07 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days90 days★
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people★1.7 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68179.74★
Mean Years of Schooling10.47 years11.93 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1819★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %★32.97 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %★69.58 %
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km4.41 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.06 %★0.51 %
Population living in slums23.64 %★0.29 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.3312.1★
Total deaths540,582.7 persons97,762.4 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %64.19 %★
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman★1.33 per woman
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons47,088.2 persons★
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births2.38 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %★0.5 %
Voting Age Population53.77 millions82.61 millions★

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.372.27★
Airports573★206
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel90115★
Heliports49★11

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.72B USD10.71B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇸🇪 SwedenShare
Current Bank Rate7 %★1.75 %

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Sweden

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

South Africa. South Africa has 6.1 times as many people as Sweden (65.49 million vs 10.71 million). Data for 2026.

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

Sweden. Sweden's economy is 44% larger than South Africa's ($613.23 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Sweden is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $57,277 in Sweden vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More South Africa comparisons

More Sweden comparisons