South Africa vs Trinidad and Tobago: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 162 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

South Africa has 43.2 times as many people as Trinidad and Tobago (65.49 million vs 1.51 million). South Africa's economy is 14.7 times the size of Trinidad and Tobago's ($424.75 billion vs $28.95 billion GDP).

Comparing South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago: Trinidad and Tobago leads on Televisions (425,000) against South Africa (6); Trinidad and Tobago leads on Major Urban Areas Population (545,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Trinidad and Tobago leads on Radios (680,000) against South Africa (17). Across 162 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 70 and Trinidad and Tobago wins on 78.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 57 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 37 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants27.03 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %82.16 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %84.7 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 85% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed5.35 Mbps27.03 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points79.71 points★
Radios17680,000★
Televisions6425,000★
WaterwaysNAnone

Economy

57 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $★246.43M $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $★28.95B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)15.39 %18.99 %★
Apple Import Volume48,832 tonnes4.07M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.13 %★74.59 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %6.75 %★
Coal Revenue2.4★0
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %★9 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★6.9 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.662.6★
Electricity Consumption207.1★9.87
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 Capacity50.02★2.61
Electricity Production234.5★10.07
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %57.01 %★
Gross Fixed Investment19.5★15.9
Gross National Saving16.126.4★
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %★43.64 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD31,721.58 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %★-4.7 %
Inflation Rate3.21 %0.99 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %0.5 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP0.9 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.0721.24★
Natural Gas Exports015.49★
Natural Gas Imports4.16★0
Natural Gas Production906.1★36.73
Natural Gas Proved Reserves0447.4★
Oil Consumption553,000★41,000
Oil Exports54,930242,600★
Oil Imports521,400★95,240
Oil Production192,100★144,900
Oil Proved Reserves15728.3★
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people20 people★
Public Debt76.237★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.61 %★0.05 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD1.7 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends7.42 %7.64 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★51,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600106,100★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200★0
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★134,700
Remittances0.20.8★
Researchers in R&D per Million444.16 researchers492.72 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.61 USD★0.05 USD
Tax Burden (% of GDP)24.87 %16.76 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)24.87 % of GDP★16.76 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26★16.7
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-0.51 %★-3.06 %
Unemployment Rate33.2 %4.6 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %★57.75 %
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %8.22 %★

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M-959,620★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★-424 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C26.53 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.733.63★
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm1,390.75 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 mappopulation on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km30.6 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %30.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year★0.61 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources51.35★3.84
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species3 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %15.72 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.6690.17★
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★540 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★5,130
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km★362 km
Dam capacity per capita464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★47.12 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land16,700★70

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★39.39 %
Administrative Divisions99
Corruption Perception Index41 index41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index41 index
Independence3131
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★-1.5
Prison Population Rate286 per 100,000★292 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4141
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %69.37 %★
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²26.6 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %96 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)102.05★122.85
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.212.4★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years73.62 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births0.91 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD2,396.35 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score74 score75 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★7 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years73.62 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %1 %★
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,000★2.05 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.64 %16.27 %★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %54 %★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.09 per 1,000 people3.82 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %18.6 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★45.27 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8★10,000
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors0.784.16★
Underweight Children Under 55.54.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel★5,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.74 %★0.94 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000★5,000

People and Society

37 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %41.25 %★
Human Capital Index0.420.64★
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years77.87 years★
Median age of population29 years38.2 years★
Population Change673,269.7 persons★1,260.6 persons
Population density53.74 per sq. km★296.05 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons★1.51M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.830.87★
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★2.03 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %★10.33 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %NA
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people★10.54 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.56 %★8.69 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★3 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★381,795.6 persons
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate5.35 %27.03 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female103.77 male/female★
Human Development Index0.480.6★
Labor Force Participation Rate27.77649,900★
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years9.93 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people545,000 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68173.74★
Mean Years of Schooling10.47 years11.28 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation18generally 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %★16.9 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %87.65 %★
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km4.16 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.06 %★0.08 %
Population living in slums23.64 %★8.02 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio33.5817.58★
Total deaths540,582.7 persons12,888.3 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★48.31 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman★1.51 per woman
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons★-1,079.3 persons
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births15.26 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %★-0.03 %

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.371.26★
Airports573★3
Civil Air Travel90★14

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.72B USD★755.46M USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoShare
Current Bank Rate7 %★3.5 %

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Trinidad and Tobago

Which has a larger population, South Africa or Trinidad and Tobago?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 43.2 times as many people as Trinidad and Tobago (65.49 million vs 1.51 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, South Africa or Trinidad and Tobago?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 14.7 times the size of Trinidad and Tobago's ($424.75 billion vs $28.95 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, South Africa or Trinidad and Tobago?▾

Trinidad and Tobago is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $19,112 in Trinidad and Tobago vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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