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South Africa vs Tanzania: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 116 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 67 of 116 metrics
Tanzania
tza
Leads on 42 of 116 metrics

Summary

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 Natural Gas Production (906.10) against Tanzania (3.12). Across 116 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 67 and Tanzania wins on 42.

  • Communications: 7 metrics compared
  • Economy: 49 metrics compared
  • Environment: 6 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 11 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 28 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
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.)
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

49 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★
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
Gini Index Coefficient63★40.5
Gross Fixed Investment19.526.5★
Gross National Saving16.125★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %5.2 %★
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★
Public Debt76.238★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD5.5 USD★
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★
Robotics Research Funding0.66 USD★0.51 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)47.91★86.94
Taxes and Other Revenues26★11.5
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD★15.64B USD
Unemployment Rate33.2 %2.6 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %★83.72 %

Environment

6 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M-291,244★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.717.71★
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★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year30 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.3596.27★

Geography

6 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
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

4 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★45.36 %
Administrative Divisions931★
Independence31★26
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

11 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %★31.33 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.29.8★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★126.9 USD
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★3.4 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %4.5 %★
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km★0.7 people/sq km
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %★276 %
Mean Age at First Birth22.5★19.6
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %8.4 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.81.7★
Underweight Children Under 54.9★11.4

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇿 TanzaniaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000★28,000

People and Society

28 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
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %33.45 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %★38.4 %
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
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
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)
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 %★
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

Transportation

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

Other

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

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