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South Africa vs Tanzania: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 170 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 100 of 170 metrics
Tanzania
tza
Leads on 60 of 170 metrics

Summary

Tanzania has 11% more people than South Africa (72.53 million vs 65.49 million). South Africa's economy is 4.8 times the size of Tanzania's ($424.75 billion vs $87.64 billion GDP).

Comparing South Africa and Tanzania: Tanzania leads on Major Urban Areas Population (262,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Tanzania leads on Televisions (103,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on Malaria Incidence Rate (0.11 cases per 1,000) against Tanzania (136.73 cases per 1,000). Across 170 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 100 and Tanzania wins on 60.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★0.25 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %★31.16 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %★29.06 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 29% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed5.35 Mbps★0.25 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★53.68 points
Radios17★8.8
Televisions6103,000★
WaterwaysNAnote: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa are principal avenues of commerce between Tanzania and its neighbors on those lakes

Economy

65 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $22.36B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $★87.64B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)14.07 %39.76 %★
Apple Import Volume48,832 tonnes7.03M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.13 %★59.83 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %8.25 %★
Coal Revenue2.4★0.02
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %17.62 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★3.6 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.6★20.2
Electricity Consumption207.1★5.68
Electricity Exports16.55★0
Electricity from Fossil Fuels85★55
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants140★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels4★0
Electricity from Other Renewables10★6
Electricity Imports10.56102★
Electricity Installed Capacity50.02★1.46
Electricity Production234.5★6.7
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita★4.09 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %81.97 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage16.75 %★-32.37 %
Gender Wage Gap16.75 %-32.37 %★
Gini Index Coefficient63★40.5
Gross Fixed Investment19.526.5★
Gross National Saving16.125★
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %★18.36 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD★3,820.61 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %5.2 %★
Inflation Rate3.21 %★3.33 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %3.1 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP1.3 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.07★3.12
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports4.16★0
Natural Gas Production906.1★3.12
Natural Gas Proved Reserves06.51★
Oil Consumption553,000★38,000
Oil Exports54,930★0
Oil Imports521,400★30,040
Oil Production192,100★0
Oil Proved Reserves15★0
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people26.4 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)11.46 % of GDP23.04 % of GDP★
Public Debt76.238★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.66 %★0.51 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD5.5 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends2.2 %9.64 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★72,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600★0
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200★67,830
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★0
Remittances0.21★
Researchers in R&D per Million430.45 researchers★19.32 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.66 USD★0.51 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)47.91★86.94
Tax Burden (% of GDP)25.88 %12.74 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)25.88 % of GDP★12.74 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26★11.5
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD★15.64B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.58 %2.17 %★
Total Number of Billionaires7★1
Unemployment Rate33.2 %2.6 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %★83.72 %
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %2.38 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M-291,244★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★-469,000 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C23.25 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.717.71★
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm934.02 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 largest and most populous East African country; population distribution is extremely uneven, but greater population clusters occur in the northern half of country and along the east coast, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km40.78 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %39.9 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year30 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.3596.27★
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species★45 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %3.46 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.66★48.58
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★400,296 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★885,800
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km★1,424 km
Dam capacity per capita464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant1,404.32 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land16,700★1,840

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★45.36 %
Administrative Divisions931★
Corruption Perception Index41 index41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index41 index
Independence31★26
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★-1.5
Prison Population Rate342 per 100,00096 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception4141
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %★31.33 %
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²★22.3 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %84 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.29.8★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years67.21 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births★1.93 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★126.9 USD
Health Coverage Index Score74 score★49 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★3.4 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years67.21 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %4.5 %★
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km★0.7 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,000★0.74 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.64 %9.7 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate0.11 cases per 1,000★136.73 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %★276 %
Mean Age at First Birth22.5★19.6
Nurses and Midwives Density6.39 per 1,000 people★0.49 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %8.4 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★27.93 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.81.7★
Total Number of Doctors0.79★0.13
Underweight Children Under 54.9★11.4

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel★27,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.74 %★1.16 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000★28,000

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %58.36 %★
Human Capital Index0.42★0.4
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years★70.53 years
Median age of population29 years★17.61 years
Population Change673,269.7 persons2.03M persons★
Population density53.74 per sq. km★81.78 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons72.53M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.83★0.52
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★0.69 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %33.45 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %★38.4 %
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people34.8 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.56 %4.96 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★3.2 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★17.62M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.84 %★4.66 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate5.35 %★0.25 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female★102.46 male/female
Human Development Index0.48★0.29
Labor Force Participation Rate27.7732.98★
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years★3.86 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people262,000 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68★164.8
Mean Years of Schooling10.47 years★6.87 years
Military Service Age and Obligation18generally 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women, but may go up to 35 years of age depending on education levels and for medical specialists; no conscription (2026)
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %5.61 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %★59.84 %
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km★0.13 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.06 %2.85 %★
Population living in slums23.64 %61.38 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio32.77★43.06
Total deaths540,582.7 persons401,598.8 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★48.21 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman4.4 per woman★
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons★-26,156.8 persons
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births★35.58 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %4.81 %★

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.37★0.05
Airports573★206
Civil Air Travel90★8

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita5.96B USD★3.39B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Current Bank Rate7 %★6 %

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Tanzania

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

Tanzania. Tanzania has 11% more people than South Africa (72.53 million vs 65.49 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 4.8 times the size of Tanzania's ($424.75 billion vs $87.64 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $1,208 in Tanzania (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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