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South Africa vs Thailand: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 181 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 72 of 181 metrics
Thailand
tha
Leads on 100 of 181 metrics

Summary

Thailand has 9% more people than South Africa (71.57 million vs 65.49 million). Thailand's economy is 26% larger than South Africa's ($533.67 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

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 181 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 72 and Thailand wins on 100.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 69 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants14.89 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
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.)
Mobile Internet Speed5.35 Mbps14.89 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★56.72 points
Radios17★13.96
Televisions615.19★
WaterwaysNA4,000

Economy

69 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★
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.13 %91.82 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %★1.5 %
Coal Revenue2.4★0.03
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %★4.42 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends28 %★20 %
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
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %69.01 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage9.52 %★-5.21 %
Gender Wage Gap9.52 %-5.21 %★
Gini Index Coefficient63★34.9
Gross Fixed Investment19.528.8★
Gross National Saving16.134.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %61.93 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD22,431.75 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %0.9 %★
Inflation Rate3.21 %-0.13 %★
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★
Private Investment (% of GDP)11.46 % of GDP16.53 % of GDP★
Public Debt76.261.1★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.61 %1.16 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD2.5 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends7.68 %★4.85 %
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★
Researchers in R&D per Million444.16 researchers1,863.08 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.61 USD1.16 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)31.210.23★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)25.88 %15.18 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)25.88 % of GDP★15.18 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26★15.4
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD368.82B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-0.51 %3.27 %★
Total Number of Billionaires725★
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.54 %★2.78 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.54 %★2.78 %
Unemployment Rate33.2 %0.7 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %★66.68 %
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %4.53 %★

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M3.03M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★-138,016.02 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C26.31 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.7336.69★
Continental Shelf200not specific;
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm1,756.8 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 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★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %18.4 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year41.9 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.35438.61★
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species★64 species

Geography

7 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
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★510,890
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

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★56.88 %
Administrative Divisions976★
Corruption Perception Index41 index34 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index★34 index
Independence31123★
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★6.07
Prison Population Rate259 per 100,000★516 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4134★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²★23.9 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %93 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)89.2821.16★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.210.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years76.56 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births0.39 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★1,465.74 USD
Health Coverage Index Score74 score82 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★5.2 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years76.56 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %1 %★
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km★2.1 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,000★1.96 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.64 %10.3 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate0.11 cases per 1,000★0.58 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %34 %★
Mean Age at First Birth22.523.3★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.09 per 1,000 people3.07 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %10 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★9.93 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8★500,000
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people★1 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)4.08 %★3.43 %
Total Number of Doctors0.78★0.54
Underweight Children Under 54.9★6.7

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel361,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.74 %★1.04 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000455,000★

People and Society

41 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★
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★2.01 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %★9.82 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %73 %★
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people★8.12 per 1,000 people
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
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.84 %52.24 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate5.35 %14.89 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female106.24 male/female★
Human Development Index0.48★0.4
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★
Mean Years of Schooling10.47 years★9.32 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %★20.94 %
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 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.3316.88★
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★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %1.43 %★
Voting Age Population47.28 millions69.75 millions★

Transportation

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

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.72B USD46.57B USD★

Other

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

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Thailand

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

Thailand. Thailand has 9% more people than South Africa (71.57 million vs 65.49 million). Data for 2026.

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

Thailand. Thailand's economy is 26% larger than South Africa's ($533.67 billion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Thailand is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $7,456 in Thailand vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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