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South Africa vs Timor-Leste: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 157 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 90 of 157 metrics
Timor-Leste
tls
Leads on 59 of 157 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 45.6 times as many people as Timor-Leste (65.49 million vs 1.44 million). South Africa's economy is 245 times the size of Timor-Leste's ($424.75 billion vs $1.73 billion GDP).

Comparing South Africa and Timor-Leste: Timor-Leste leads on Major Urban Areas Population (281,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Timor-Leste leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (615,900) against South Africa (27.77); South Africa leads on Carbon Dioxide Emissions (446.70) against Timor-Leste (660,000). Across 157 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 90 and Timor-Leste wins on 59.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 56 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 37 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇱 Timor-LesteShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★0.01 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)74.97 %★35.04 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %★34.02 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 34% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed5.35 Mbps★0.01 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★71.79 points
Radios17NA
Televisions6NA
WaterwaysNANA

Economy

56 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇱 Timor-LesteShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $★374.13M $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $★1.73B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)14.07 %30.11 %★
Coal Revenue2.4★0
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %13.29 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★4.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.669.9★
Electricity Consumption207.1★0
Electricity Exports16.55★0
Electricity from Fossil Fuels85100★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants1★0
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels4★0
Electricity from Other Renewables10★0
Electricity Imports10.56★0
Electricity Installed Capacity50.02600★
Electricity Production234.5★0
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita★6.83 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %62.05 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage11.04 %★0.76 %
Gender Wage Gap11.04 %0.76 %★
Gini Index Coefficient63★28.7
Gross Fixed Investment19.638.4★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD★4,109.9 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %★-57 %
Inflation Rate3.21 %0.43 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %2.1 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP2.5 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.07★0
Natural Gas Exports05.78★
Natural Gas Imports4.16★0
Natural Gas Production906.1★5.78
Natural Gas Proved Reserves0200★
Oil Consumption553,000★2,600
Oil Exports54,93086,000★
Oil Imports521,400★2,205
Oil Production192,100★87,500
Oil Proved Reserves15553.8★
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people41.8 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)12.02 % of GDP★7.13 % of GDP
Public Debt76.23.1★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD★-2.2 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends7.68 %15.85 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★3,500
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600★0
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200★3,481
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★0
Remittances0.211.7★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)31.21★43.94
Tax Burden (% of GDP)26.02 %21.64 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)26.02 % of GDP★21.64 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26★21.6
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD★196.96M USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-0.51 %13.31 %★
Unemployment Rate33.2 %1.7 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %★66.98 %
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %3.72 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇱 Timor-LesteShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M31,395★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★-848 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C24.91 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.7★660,000
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm1,983.93 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 mapmost of the population is concentrated in the western third of the country, particularly around Dili
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km16.13 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %16.1 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year★0.89 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources51.35★8.22
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species6 species★

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇱 Timor-LesteShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %3.74 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.66150★
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★3,407 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★14,870
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km★706 km
Irrigated Land16,700★350

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇱 Timor-LesteShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★31.05 %
Administrative Divisions912★
Corruption Perception Index41 index★44 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index44 index★
Independence31★28
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★3.07
Prison Population Rate342 per 100,00017 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception41★44
Suffrage Participation Rate18★17

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇱 Timor-LesteShare
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²★21.3 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %★72 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.2★3.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years67.9 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births1.48 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★603.93 USD
Health Coverage Index Score74 score★48 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP11.4 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years67.9 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %0.2 %★
Hospital Bed Density2.8 people/sq km5.9 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,000★0.44 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.64 %★18.21 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0.75 cases per 1,0000.1 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %★192 %
Mean Age at First Birth22.5★22.1
Nurses and Midwives Density1.01 per 1,000 people1.74 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %3.8 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★6.99 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8★1,200
Total Number of Doctors0.78★0.76
Underweight Children Under 54.9★31.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇱 Timor-LesteShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel★2,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.74 %★2.25 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000★2,000

People and Society

37 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇱 Timor-LesteShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %55.51 %★
Human Capital Index0.420.49★
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years★70.56 years
Median age of population29 years★22.02 years
Population Change673,269.7 persons★15,440.3 persons
Population density53.74 per sq. km★96.5 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons★1.44M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.83★0.73
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★0.08 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %23.39 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %★26.1 %
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people21.77 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.56 %★6.86 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★5.2 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★378,325.85 persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.84 %31.55 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate5.35 %★0.01 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female106.41 male/female★
Labor Force Participation Rate27.77615,900★
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years6.7 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people281,000 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68★159.79
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %8.83 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %★51.5 %
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km★0.75 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.06 %1.28 %★
Population living in slums23.64 %27.85 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio32.631.35★
Total deaths540,582.7 persons9,950 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★33.27 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman2.47 per woman★
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons★-5,132.5 persons
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births★41.73 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %1.69 %★

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇱 Timor-LesteShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.37★0.16
Airports573★11
Heliports49★2

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇱 Timor-LesteShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.72B USD★63.63M USD

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Timor-Leste

Which has a larger population, South Africa or Timor-Leste?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 45.6 times as many people as Timor-Leste (65.49 million vs 1.44 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, South Africa or Timor-Leste?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 245 times the size of Timor-Leste's ($424.75 billion vs $1.73 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, South Africa or Timor-Leste?▾

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $1,206 in Timor-Leste (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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