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South Africa vs Uganda: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 171 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 99 of 171 metrics
Uganda
uga
Leads on 65 of 171 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 24% more people than Uganda (65.49 million vs 52.75 million). South Africa's economy is 6.9 times the size of Uganda's ($424.75 billion vs $61.62 billion GDP).

Comparing South Africa and Uganda: Uganda leads on Televisions (500,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on Malaria Incidence Rate (0.11 cases per 1,000) against Uganda (264.23 cases per 1,000); Uganda leads on Apple Import Volume (8.60 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes). Across 171 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 99 and Uganda wins on 65.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★0.21 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %★8.95 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %★15.25 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 15% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed5.35 Mbps★0.21 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★37.61 points
Radios17★5
Televisions6500,000★
WaterwaysNALake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake Edward, Victoria Nile, Albert Nile

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $15.59B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $★61.62B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)14.07 %22.4 %★
Apple Import Volume48,832 tonnes8.60M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.13 %★72.83 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %9 %★
Coal Revenue2.4★0
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %21.28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★6.5 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.666.7★
Electricity Consumption207.1★3.11
Electricity Exports16.55121★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels85★19
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants168★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels4★0
Electricity from Other Renewables1012★
Electricity Imports10.5650★
Electricity Installed Capacity50.02★1.02
Electricity Production234.5★3.46
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita★2.25 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %76.93 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage9.52 %26.83 %★
Gender Wage Gap9.52 %★26.83 %
Gini Index Coefficient63★42.7
Gross Fixed Investment19.524.9★
Gross National Saving16.120.6★
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %★22.3 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD★2,980.38 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %4.9 %★
Inflation Rate3.21 %★3.58 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %3.3 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP2 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.07★0
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports4.16★0
Natural Gas Production906.1★0
Natural Gas Proved Reserves014.16★
Oil Consumption553,000★14,000
Oil Exports54,930★0
Oil Imports521,400★13,770
Oil Production192,100★0
Oil Proved Reserves15★1
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people20.3 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)11.46 % of GDP13.44 % of GDP★
Public Debt76.253.1★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.71 %★0.14 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD6.1 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends5.86 %14.75 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★32,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600★0
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200★31,490
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★0
Remittances0.22.9★
Researchers in R&D per Million427.64 researchers★28.68 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.71 USD★0.14 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)42.11★72.4
Tax Burden (% of GDP)25.88 %12.63 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)25.88 % of GDP★12.63 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26★13
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD★9.03B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.58 %6.04 %★
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.54 %★2.53 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.54 %★2.53 %
Unemployment Rate33.2 %3 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %★80.03 %
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %4.18 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M97,949★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★-28,098 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C23.87 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.76.35★
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm1,307.74 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 density is relatively high in comparison to other African nations; most of the population is concentrated in the central and southern parts of the country, particularly along the shores of Lake Victoria and Lake Albert; the northeast is least p
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km16.1 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %16.1 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year29 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.3560.1★
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species32 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %24.89 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.6696★
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★144,150 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★200,520
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km★0 km
Dam capacity per capita464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant1,452.28 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land16,700★105

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★31.2 %
Administrative Divisions9134★
Corruption Perception Index41 index26 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index★26 index
Independence31★9
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★-2.5
Prison Population Rate260 per 100,000150 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception4126★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %★18.1 %
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²★21.6 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %90 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.2★2.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years68.49 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births1.45 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★175.62 USD
Health Coverage Index Score74 score★54 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★4.7 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years68.49 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %5.4 %★
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km★0.5 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,000★0.5 beds per 1,000
Malaria Incidence Rate0.11 cases per 1,000★264.23 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %★170 %
Mean Age at First Birth22.5★18.9
Nurses and Midwives Density6.39 per 1,000 people★2.27 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %5.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★32.17 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.81.4★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people★0 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors0.79★0.19
Underweight Children Under 54.9★9.7

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel★45,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.74 %★1.96 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000★46,000

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %57.22 %★
Human Capital Index0.42★0.41
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years72.43 years★
Median age of population29 years★17.09 years
Population Change673,269.7 persons1.33M persons★
Population density53.74 per sq. km★264.01 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons★52.75M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.83★0.2
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★0.7 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %38.91 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %★50.2 %
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people34.44 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.56 %4.61 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★2.6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★13.11M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)21.68 %★4.01 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate5.35 %★0.21 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female★102.26 male/female
Human Development Index0.48★0.26
Labor Force Participation Rate27.77★22.83
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years★4.72 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people★3.85 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68★165.62
Mean Years of Schooling10.47 years★6.69 years
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %3.99 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %★78.11 %
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km★0.19 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.06 %3.13 %★
Population living in slums23.64 %47.25 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.33★42.92
Total deaths540,582.7 persons237,961.1 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★56.57 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman3.95 per woman★
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons★-184,946.7 persons
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births★34.85 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %4.8 %★

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.37★0.02
Airports573★39
Civil Air Travel90★6

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita5.96B USD★1.32B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Current Bank Rate7 %9.75 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Uganda

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

South Africa. South Africa has 24% more people than Uganda (65.49 million vs 52.75 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 6.9 times the size of Uganda's ($424.75 billion vs $61.62 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $1,168 in Uganda (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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