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South Africa vs Tunisia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 172 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 93 of 172 metrics
Tunisia
tun
Leads on 69 of 172 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 5.3 times as many people as Tunisia (65.49 million vs 12.42 million). South Africa's economy is 7.8 times the size of Tunisia's ($424.75 billion vs $54.33 billion GDP).

Comparing South Africa and Tunisia: Tunisia leads on Televisions (920,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on Natural Gas Production (906.10) against Tunisia (1.27); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Tunisia (4,500). Across 172 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 93 and Tunisia wins on 69.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants14.97 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %★76.5 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %★72.35 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 72% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed5.35 Mbps14.97 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★43.48 points
Radios17★2.06
Televisions6920,000★
WaterwaysNAnone

Economy

65 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $★5.15B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $★54.33B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)14.07 %★7.86 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.13 %★37.84 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %5.75 %
Coal Revenue2.4★0
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %★7.31 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★7.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.674.6★
Electricity Consumption207.1★15.27
Electricity Exports16.55500★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels8594★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants11
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels4★0
Electricity from Other Renewables10★5
Electricity Imports10.56134★
Electricity Installed Capacity50.02★5.77
Electricity Production234.5★18.44
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita★33.75 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %★30.49 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage9.52 %★-0.88 %
Gender Wage Gap9.52 %-0.88 %★
Gini Index Coefficient63★33.7
Gross Fixed Investment19.523.1★
Gross National Saving16.1★12
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %47.75 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD★13,017.63 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %★-2.5 %
Inflation Rate3.21 %★5.15 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %★7.2 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP2.5 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.075.13★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports4.16★3.85
Natural Gas Production906.1★1.27
Natural Gas Proved Reserves065.13★
Number of AI Patents Filed22 patents★4 patents
Oil Consumption553,000★84,000
Oil Exports54,93091,200★
Oil Imports521,400★78,460
Oil Production192,100★83,720
Oil Proved Reserves15425★
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people16.6 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)15.64 % of GDP20.18 % of GDP★
Public Debt76.262.3★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.61 %0.75 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD1.4 USD★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★102,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600★13,660
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200★85,340
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★27,770
Remittances0.26★
Researchers in R&D per Million444.16 researchers1,703.92 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.61 USD0.75 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)29.543.13★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)23.35 %20.12 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)23.35 % of GDP★20.12 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26.11★24.7
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD★25.67B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.58 %1.48 %★
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.54 %★3.11 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.54 %★3.11 %
Unemployment Rate33.2 %16.3 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %45.22 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %38.08 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M925,872★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★-2,302 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C21.12 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.724.65★
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm★198.32 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 mapthe overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km★7.9 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %★7.9 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year★1.6 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources51.35★4.62
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species15 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %2.36 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.66★58.74
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★97,005 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★155,360
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km★1,148 km
Dam capacity per capita464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★215.15 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land16,700★3,920

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★41.41 %
Administrative Divisions924★
Corruption Perception Index41 index39 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index★39 index
Independence31★20
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★-1.3
Prison Population Rate260 per 100,000★267 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4139★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %★64.98 %
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²25.5 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %96 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.216★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years76.71 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births0.92 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★1,373.9 USD
Health Coverage Index Score74 score76 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★7 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years76.71 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %(2021 est.) <0.1%
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km★2.2 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,000★1.82 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.64 %8.24 %★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %36 %★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.01 per 1,000 people2.07 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %26.9 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★37.94 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8★4,500
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people3 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.781.32★
Underweight Children Under 54.91.6★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel★36,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.74 %★2.49 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000★48,000

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %51.33 %★
Human Capital Index0.420.51★
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years80.9 years★
Median age of population29 years33.3 years★
Population Change673,269.7 persons★76,356.9 persons
Population density53.74 per sq. km★79.95 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons★12.42M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.83★0.56
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★0.88 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %★11.35 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %★50.7 %
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people★13.37 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.56 %6.4 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP6.7 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★3.12M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.84 %49.4 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate5.35 %14.97 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female105.01 male/female★
Human Development Index0.48★0.47
Labor Force Participation Rate27.77★4.25
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years6.08 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people★2.48 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68173.95★
Mean Years of Schooling10.47 years★9.29 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1820★
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %★13.8 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %★71.54 %
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km1.32 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.06 %★0.38 %
Population living in slums23.64 %★6.62 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.3315.8★
Total deaths540,582.7 persons66,135 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★38.82 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman★1.81 per woman
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons★-16,953 persons
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births10.63 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %★1.07 %
Voting Age Population39.64 millions★10.61 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.370.5★
Airports573★14
Civil Air Travel90★19
Heliports49★11

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita5.96B USD★3.24B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaShare
Current Bank Rate7 %7.5 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Tunisia

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

South Africa. South Africa has 5.3 times as many people as Tunisia (65.49 million vs 12.42 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 7.8 times the size of Tunisia's ($424.75 billion vs $54.33 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $4,375 in Tunisia (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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