South Africa vs Tajikistan: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 167 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

South Africa has 6.0 times as many people as Tajikistan (65.49 million vs 10.98 million). South Africa's economy is 24.9 times the size of Tajikistan's ($424.75 billion vs $17.03 billion GDP).

Comparing South Africa and Tajikistan: Tajikistan leads on Televisions (820,000) against South Africa (6); Tajikistan leads on Major Urban Areas Population (987,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against Tajikistan (172). Across 167 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 87 and Tajikistan wins on 71.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★0.98 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %★55.79 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %★56.79 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 57% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed3.41 Mbps★0.98 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★32.21 points
Radios17★1.29
Televisions6820,000★
WaterwaysNAnone

Economy

60 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $★3.36B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $★17.03B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)15.39 %31.65 %★
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.13 %★54.52 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %16 %★
Coal Revenue2.4★0.54
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %30 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★7.2 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.660.9★
Electricity Consumption207.1★12.96
Electricity Exports16.55★1.4
Electricity from Fossil Fuels85★6
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants194★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels4★0
Electricity from Other Renewables10★0
Electricity Imports10.56103★
Electricity Installed Capacity50.02★5.51
Electricity Production234.5★17.03
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita★16.19 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %★23.22 %
Gini Index Coefficient63★34
Gross Fixed Investment19.5★16.4
Gross National Saving16.124.4★
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %★2.07 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD★5,061.85 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %9.9 %★
Inflation Rate6.6 %6 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %★7.7 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP1.8 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.0719.82★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports4.16★0
Natural Gas Production906.1★19.82
Natural Gas Proved Reserves05.66★
Oil Consumption553,000★40,000
Oil Exports54,930★405.4
Oil Imports521,400★39,400
Oil Production192,100★220
Oil Proved Reserves15★12
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people22.5 people★
Public Debt76.242★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.6 %★0.09 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD8.4 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends5.27 %19.19 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★24,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600★0
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200★22,460
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★172
Remittances0.247.9★
Robotics Research Funding0.6 USD★0.09 USD
Tax Burden (% of GDP)25.88 %10.71 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)25.88 % of GDP★10.71 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26★10.8
Top Exporting Countries126.84B USD★2.10B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-0.51 %0.49 %★
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.54 %★3.37 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.54 %★3.37 %
Unemployment Rate33.2 %11.7 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %38.28 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %14.59 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M475,483★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★300 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C★2.63 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.78.62★
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm★560.78 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 concentrated at lower elevations, with perhaps as many as 90% living in valleys; overall density increases from east to west
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km22.69 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %22.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year6 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.35★21.91
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species7 species★

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %3.63 %★
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★39,124.6 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★138,790
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km★0 km
Dam capacity per capita464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant2,621.81 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land16,700★5,681

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★12 %
Administrative Divisions9★2
Corruption Perception Index41 index19 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index★19 index
Independence31★9
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★2.07
Prison Population Rate259 per 100,000118 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception4119★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %★65.11 %
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²25.8 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %98 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)102.0564.77★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.28★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years71.93 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births0.8 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★449.99 USD
Health Coverage Index Score74 score★72 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★8 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years71.93 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %0.2 %★
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km4.7 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,0004.99 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.64 %8.72 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate1.23 cases per 1,0000.01 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %14 %★
Mean Age at First Birth22.522.8★
Nurses and Midwives Density6.39 per 1,000 people6.49 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %14.2 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★62.36 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8★14,000
Total Number of Doctors0.791.94★
Underweight Children Under 54.9★5.2

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel★9,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.74 %★1.47 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000★17,000

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %67.34 %★
Human Capital Index0.42★0.39
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years75.17 years★
Median age of population29 years★22.43 years
Population Change673,269.7 persons★185,670.3 persons
Population density53.74 per sq. km★76.85 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons★10.98M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.83★0.08
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★0.31 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %25.31 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %★29.3 %
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people25.33 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.56 %4.45 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★5.4 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★2.81M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.84 %34.02 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate3.41 %★0.98 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female105.64 male/female★
Human Development Index0.48★0.26
Labor Force Participation Rate27.77★2.78
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years4.94 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days470.5 days★
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people987,000 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68171.26★
Mean Years of Schooling10.47 years★10.12 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %6.1 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %84.85 %★
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km1.87 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.06 %1.89 %★
Population living in slums23.64 %★0.05 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.3322.29★
Total deaths540,582.7 persons47,458.1 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★38.38 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman2.95 per woman★
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons★-28,776.9 persons
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births23.28 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %1.78 %★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.37★0.1
Airports573★19
Civil Air Travel90NA
Heliports49★1

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.72B USD★89.96M USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇯 TajikistanShare
Current Bank Rate7 %7 %

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Tajikistan

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

South Africa. South Africa has 6.0 times as many people as Tajikistan (65.49 million vs 10.98 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 24.9 times the size of Tajikistan's ($424.75 billion vs $17.03 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $1,550 in Tajikistan (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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