South Africa vs Uruguay: Compare Statistics
Side-by-side comparison of 173 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.
Summary
South Africa has 19.4 times as many people as Uruguay (65.49 million vs 3.38 million). South Africa's economy is 4.4 times the size of Uruguay's ($424.75 billion vs $97.59 billion GDP).
Comparing South Africa and Uruguay: Uruguay leads on Televisions (782,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Uruguay (12,000); South Africa leads on Population Change (673,270 persons) against Uruguay (541.70 persons). Across 173 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 77 and Uruguay wins on 86.
- Communications: 9 metrics compared
- Economy: 66 metrics compared
- Environment: 12 metrics compared
- Geography: 7 metrics compared
- Government: 9 metrics compared
- Health: 22 metrics compared
- Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
- People and Society: 39 metrics compared
- Transportation: 4 metrics compared
- Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
- Other: 1 metric compared
Communications
9 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Broadband Penetration | 5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants | 33.04 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★ | |
| Internet Penetration Rate (%) | 78.36 % | 91.99 %★ | |
| Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population) | 75.66 % | 89.9 %★ | |
| Internet Users | percent of population: 76% (2023 est.) | percent of population: 90% (2023 est.) | |
| Mobile Internet Speed | 5.35 Mbps | 33.04 Mbps★ | |
| Press Freedom Index Score | 75.71 points★ | 65.18 points | |
| Radios | 17★ | 1.97 | |
| Televisions | 6 | 782,000★ | |
| Waterways | NA | 1,600 |
Economy
66 metricsEnvironment
12 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs) | 3.23M | 346,330★ | |
| Annual Forest Area Change Rate | 87,566.02 %★ | 18,393.99 % | |
| Average Annual Temperature | 18.35 °C★ | 17.48 °C | |
| Carbon Dioxide Emissions | 446.7 | 6.9★ | |
| Continental Shelf | 200 | 200 | |
| Global Precipitation Distribution | 652.17 mm | 1,039.79 mm★ | |
| Population Distribution | the 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 map | most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country; approximately 80% of the populace is urban; nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo | |
| Protected Land Area for Adaptation | 9.88 sq km★ | 2.92 sq km | |
| Protected Land Area Percentage | 9.6 %★ | 3.1 % | |
| Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country | 4.8 Cubic meters per year | 22.9 Cubic meters per year★ | |
| Total Renewable Water Resources | 51.35 | 172.2★ | |
| Total Threatened Mammal Species | 33 species | 9 species★ |
Geography
7 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization | 1.94 %★ | 0.64 % | |
| Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha) | 85.66 | 97★ | |
| Agricultural land | 963,410 sq. km★ | 140,432.6 sq. km | |
| Airports per 1,000 Sq Km | 1.21M★ | 175,020 | |
| Coastline Length (km) | 2,798 km★ | 660 km | |
| Dam capacity per capita | 464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant | 5,058.58 cubic meters per inhabitant★ | |
| Irrigated Land | 16,700★ | 2,230 |
Government
9 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule of Law Index by Country | 61.59 % | 78.53 %★ | |
| Administrative Divisions | 9 | 19★ | |
| Corruption Perception Index | 41 index★ | 76 index | |
| Corruption Perceptions Index Score | 41 index | 76 index★ | |
| Independence | 31★ | 25 | |
| LGBT Rights Index Score | 10.94★ | 10.88 | |
| Prison Population Rate | 259 per 100,000★ | 372 per 100,000 | |
| Public Sector Corruption Perception | 41★ | 76 | |
| Suffrage Participation Rate | 18 | 18 |
Health
22 metricsMilitary and Security
3 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Military Personnel | 74,000 personnel★ | 21,000 personnel | |
| Military Expenditure (% of GDP) | 0.74 %★ | 2.28 % | |
| Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP) | 89,000★ | 22,000 |
People and Society
39 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currently married (Percent) | 33.25 % | 52.68 %★ | |
| Human Capital Index | 0.42 | 0.61★ | |
| Life expectancy at birth | 71.98 years | 83.31 years★ | |
| Median age of population | 29 years | 36.68 years★ | |
| Population Change | 673,269.7 persons★ | 541.7 persons | |
| Population density | 53.74 per sq. km | 19.52 per sq. km★ | |
| Total population | 65.49M persons★ | 3.38M persons | |
| Academic Freedom Index | 0.83 | 0.91★ | |
| Beer Consumption per Capita | 3.65 liters★ | 1.83 liters | |
| Birth Rate (%) | 17.21 %★ | 9.05 % | |
| Contraceptive Prevalence Rate | 54.6 % | 79.6 %★ | |
| Crude Birth Rate | 18.48 per 1,000 people★ | 9.8 per 1,000 people | |
| Death Rate (%) | 6.56 %★ | 9.88 % | |
| Education Expenditure (% of GDP) | 6 % of GDP★ | 4.8 % of GDP | |
| Female population of reproductive age | 18.20M persons★ | 811,724.7 persons | |
| Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%) | 29.84 % | 101.56 %★ | |
| Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate | 5.35 % | 33.04 %★ | |
| Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth | 103.52 male/female | 105.45 male/female★ | |
| Human Development Index | 0.48 | 0.58★ | |
| Labor Force Participation Rate | 27.77★ | 1.77 | |
| Learning-adjusted years of school | 4.88 years | 8.59 years★ | |
| Length of paid parental leave for mother | 0 days | 0 days | |
| Major Urban Areas Population | 10.32 people★ | 1.77 people | |
| Mean Male Height (cm) | 166.68 | 173.43★ | |
| Mean Years of Schooling | 10.47 years★ | 8.76 years | |
| Military Service Age and Obligation | 18 | generally 18-30 years of age (up to 22 for the Navy and up to 40 for some specialist positions) for voluntary military service for men and women; initial 24-month service obligation (2025) | |
| Old-Age Dependency Ratio | 9.65 %★ | 24.02 % | |
| Percentage of population by degree of urbanization | 79.63 % | 86.51 %★ | |
| Physician Density | 0.79 people/sq km | 4.67 people/sq km★ | |
| Population Growth Rate | 1.06 %★ | -0.06 % | |
| Population living in slums | 23.64 %★ | -1.17 % | |
| Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio | 30.33 | 11.76★ | |
| Total deaths | 540,582.7 persons | 30,781.2 persons★ | |
| Total demand for family planning (Percent) | 62.02 % | 63.7 %★ | |
| Total fertility rate | 2.17 per woman★ | 1.37 per woman | |
| Total net-migration | 39,599.6 persons★ | -1,301.7 persons | |
| Under-five mortality rate | 28.89 per live births | 6.74 per live births★ | |
| Urban Population Annual Growth Rate | 1.34 %★ | 0 % | |
| Voting Age Population | 39.64 millions | 92.41 millions★ |
Transportation
4 metrics| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP) | 0.37★ | 0.32 | |
| Airports | 573★ | 65 | |
| Civil Air Travel | 90★ | 11 | |
| Heliports | 49★ | 4 |
Travel and Tourism
1 metric| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourism Receipts per Capita | 6.72B USD★ | 2.30B USD |
Other
1 metric| Metric | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Bank Rate | 7 %★ | 5.75 % |
Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Uruguay
Which has a larger population, South Africa or Uruguay?▾
South Africa. South Africa has 19.4 times as many people as Uruguay (65.49 million vs 3.38 million). Data for 2026.
Which has a bigger economy, South Africa or Uruguay?▾
South Africa. South Africa's economy is 4.4 times the size of Uruguay's ($424.75 billion vs $97.59 billion GDP). Data for 2026.
Which is richer per person, South Africa or Uruguay?▾
Uruguay is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $28,850 in Uruguay vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).