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South Africa vs Tonga: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 150 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 76 of 150 metrics
Tonga
ton
Leads on 64 of 150 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 634 times as many people as Tonga (65.49 million vs 103,309). South Africa's economy is 658 times the size of Tonga's ($424.75 billion vs $645.99 million GDP).

Comparing South Africa and Tonga: Tonga leads on Radios (61,000) against South Africa (17); South Africa leads on Agricultural land (963,410 sq. km) against Tonga (350 sq. km); Tonga leads on Major Urban Areas Population (23,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people). Across 150 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 76 and Tonga wins on 64.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 56 metrics compared
  • Environment: 10 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 6 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 36 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇴 TongaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration3.12 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants8.17 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %★67.44 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %★58.53 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 59% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed3.12 Mbps8.17 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★68.39 points
Radios1761,000★
Televisions62,000★
WaterwaysNAnone

Economy

56 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇴 TongaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $★79.78M $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $★645.99M $
AI Investment (% of GDP)15.39 %25.93 %★
Coal Revenue2.4★0
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %★8 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★5.1 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.672.6★
Electricity Consumption207.1★48.36
Electricity Exports16.55★0
Electricity from Fossil Fuels85★74
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants1★0
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels4★0
Electricity from Other Renewables1026★
Electricity Imports10.56★0
Electricity Installed Capacity50.0220,300★
Electricity Production234.5★52
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita★23.27 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %★45.03 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage10 %★5.51 %
Gender Wage Gap10 %5.51 %★
Gini Index Coefficient63★27.1
Gross Fixed Investment19.626.3★
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %★23.45 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD★7,412.87 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %★-11.1 %
Inflation Rate3.21 %★5.59 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %3.2 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP1.8 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.07★0
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports4.16★0
Natural Gas Production906.1★0
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption553,000★1,000
Oil Exports54,930★0
Oil Imports521,400★1,202
Oil Production192,100★0
Oil Proved Reserves15★0
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people20.6 people★
Public Debt76.243.9★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD2.1 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends7.68 %★4.47 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★900
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600★0
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200★910
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★0
Remittances0.250★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)47.914.57★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)25.4 %20.45 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)25.4 % of GDP★20.45 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26★23.8
Top Exporting Countries126.84B USD★87.16M USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.58 %★-1.87 %
Unemployment Rate33.2 %2.2 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %49.81 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %6.03 %★

Environment

10 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇴 TongaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M6,672★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★0 %
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.7★174,000
Continental Shelf200no specific limits;
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 mapover two thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km13.51 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %13.3 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year★0 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources51.35★0
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species2 species★

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇴 TongaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %3.83 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.66194.44★
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★350 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★720
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km★419 km
Irrigated Land16,700★0

Government

6 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇴 TongaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %67.39 %★
Administrative Divisions9★5
Independence31★4
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★-0.33
Prison Population Rate310 per 100,000150 per 100,000★
Suffrage Participation Rate1821★

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇴 TongaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %★29.6 %
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²30.5 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %99 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.219.6★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years73.07 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births0.7 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★704.11 USD
Health Coverage Index Score74 score★71 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★6.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years73.07 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %NA
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km2.6 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,0002.48 beds per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %67 %★
Mean Age at First Birth22.524.9★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.01 per 1,000 people4.54 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %★48.2 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %5.86 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8NA
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people★1 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors0.781.01★
Underweight Children Under 54.90.8★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇴 TongaShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel★1,000 personnel

People and Society

36 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇴 TongaShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %49.07 %★
Human Capital Index0.420.57★
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years77.01 years★
Median age of population29 years★20.77 years
Population Change673,269.7 persons★-436.5 persons
Population density53.74 per sq. km★158.92 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons★103,308.5 persons
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★0.01 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %19.43 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %★29.3 %
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people23.04 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.56 %4.98 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★5.3 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★26,580.55 persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.84 %58.61 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate3.12 %8.17 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female107.91 male/female★
Labor Force Participation Rate27.7734,800★
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years8.3 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people23,000 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68176.76★
Mean Years of Schooling10.47 years11.42 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation18★16
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %★11.44 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %★60.92 %
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km1.01 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.06 %★-0.37 %
Population living in slums23.64 %★-0.08 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.3321.63★
Total deaths540,582.7 persons656.3 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★31.15 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman3.03 per woman★
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons★-2,119.3 persons
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births9.7 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %★-0.39 %

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇴 TongaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.371★
Airports573★6
Civil Air Travel90no major transport aircraft

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇴 TongaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.72B USD★62.56M USD

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Tonga

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

South Africa. South Africa has 634 times as many people as Tonga (65.49 million vs 103,309). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 658 times the size of Tonga's ($424.75 billion vs $645.99 million GDP). Data for 2026.

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

They are about equally rich per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $6,253 in Tonga (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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