Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

South Africa vs Thailand: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 122 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 48 of 122 metrics
Thailand
tha
Leads on 65 of 122 metrics

Summary

Comparing South Africa and Thailand: South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (621,000) against Thailand (1.33); South Africa leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (487,100) against Thailand (1.33); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Thailand (500,000). Across 122 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 48 and Thailand wins on 65.

  • Communications: 7 metrics compared
  • Economy: 50 metrics compared
  • Environment: 7 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 12 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 30 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %90.87 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %89.54 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 90% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★56.72 points
Radios17★13.96
Televisions615.19★
WaterwaysNA4,000

Economy

50 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $45.86B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $533.67B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)14.07 %21.58 %★
Apple Import Volume48,832 tonnes186.16M tonnes★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %★1.5 %
Coal Revenue2.4★0.03
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %★4.42 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★3.8 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.684.6★
Electricity Consumption207.1★187.7
Electricity Exports16.55★2.27
Electricity from Fossil Fuels85★76
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants18★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels4★0
Electricity from Other Renewables1016★
Electricity Imports10.5619.83★
Electricity Installed Capacity50.02★44.89
Electricity Production234.5★181.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita★80.6 USD per capita
Gini Index Coefficient63★34.9
Gross Fixed Investment19.528.8★
Gross National Saving16.134.1★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %0.9 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %1.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP1.1 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.0752.64★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports4.1614.41★
Natural Gas Production906.1★38.59
Natural Gas Proved Reserves0193.4★
Number of AI Patents Filed3 patents★1 patents
Oil Consumption553,000988,000★
Oil Exports54,930269,100★
Oil Imports521,400807,100★
Oil Production192,100406,800★
Oil Proved Reserves15435★
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people6.3 people★
Public Debt76.261.1★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD2.5 USD★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★1.33
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600278,300★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200★134,200
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★1.33
Remittances0.21.8★
Robotics Research Funding0.61 USD1.16 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)31.210.23★
Taxes and Other Revenues26★15.4
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD368.82B USD★
Unemployment Rate33.2 %0.7 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %★66.68 %

Environment

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M3.03M★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.7336.69★
Continental Shelf200not specific;
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 maphighest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters throughout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km18.37 sq km★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year41.9 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.35438.61★

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %5.23 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.66142.5★
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★243,086.8 sq. km
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km3,219 km★
Dam capacity per capita464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant1,098 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land16,70064,150★

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★56.88 %
Administrative Divisions976★
Independence31123★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

12 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)89.2821.16★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.210.2★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★1,465.74 USD
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★5.2 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %1 %★
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km★2.1 people/sq km
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %34 %★
Mean Age at First Birth22.523.3★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %10 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8★500,000
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people★1 per 100,000 people
Underweight Children Under 54.9★6.7

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000455,000★

People and Society

30 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %50.17 %★
Human Capital Index0.420.63★
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years80.78 years★
Median age of population29 years41.03 years★
Population Change673,269.7 persons★-87,807.2 persons
Population density53.74 per sq. km★140.16 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons71.57M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.83★0.38
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAAA★
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %★9.82 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %73 %★
Death Rate (%)6.56 %★8.08 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★2.5 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★16.94M persons
Labor Force Participation Rate27.7740.62★
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years8.95 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people11.07 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68169.16★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %★62.64 %
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km★0.54 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.06 %★0.13 %
Population living in slums23.64 %★2 %
Total deaths540,582.7 persons★685,767.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★44.11 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman★1.18 per woman
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons★36,266.2 persons
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births10.25 per live births★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.371.01★
Airports573★105
Civil Air Travel90★41
Heliports49★5

Other

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Current Bank Rate7 %★1.5 %

Related comparisons

More South Africa comparisons

More Thailand comparisons

South Africa vs Thailand: Compare Key Statistics and Facts | Geo Factbook