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Geo Factbook

South Africa vs Uganda: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 106 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 59 of 106 metrics
Uganda
uga
Leads on 40 of 106 metrics

Summary

Comparing South Africa and Uganda: Uganda leads on Televisions (500,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on Irrigated Land (16,700) against Uganda (105); Uganda leads on Carbon Dioxide Emissions (6.35) against South Africa (446.70). Across 106 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 59 and Uganda wins on 40.

  • Communications: 6 metrics compared
  • Economy: 44 metrics compared
  • Environment: 5 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 9 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 28 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared

Communications

6 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %★15.25 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 15% (2023 est.)
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

44 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 $
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
Gini Index Coefficient63★42.7
Gross Fixed Investment19.524.9★
Gross National Saving16.120.6★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %4.9 %★
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★
Public Debt76.253.1★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD6.1 USD★
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★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)42.11★72.4
Taxes and Other Revenues26★13
Unemployment Rate33.2 %3 %★

Environment

5 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M97,949★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.76.35★
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
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year29 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.3560.1★

Geography

6 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
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

4 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★31.2 %
Administrative Divisions9134★
Independence31★9
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.2★2.2
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★4.7 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %5.4 %★
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km★0.5 people/sq km
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %★170 %
Mean Age at First Birth22.5★18.9
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %5.3 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.81.4★
Underweight Children Under 54.9★9.7

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇬 UgandaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000★46,000

People and Society

28 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
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %38.91 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %★50.2 %
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
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
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
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 %★
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

Transportation

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

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