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South Africa vs Uzbekistan: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 169 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Africa
zaf
Leads on 73 of 169 metrics
Uzbekistan
uzb
Leads on 87 of 169 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 73% more people than Uzbekistan (65.49 million vs 37.74 million). South Africa's economy is 3.1 times the size of Uzbekistan's ($424.75 billion vs $139.24 billion GDP).

Comparing South Africa and Uzbekistan: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Uzbekistan (58,000); Uzbekistan leads on Apple Import Volume (99.81 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); Uzbekistan leads on HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate (0.20 %) against South Africa (18.30 %). Across 169 compared metrics, South Africa wins on 73 and Uzbekistan wins on 87.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 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🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants34.74 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)78.36 %89.51 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)75.66 %89.01 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 76% (2023 est.)percent of population: 89% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed5.35 Mbps34.74 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score75.71 points★35.24 points
Radios17★10.8
Televisions66.4★
WaterwaysNA1,100

Economy

60 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country14.21B $23.19B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars424.75B $★139.24B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)14.07 %33.3 %★
Apple Import Volume48,832 tonnes99.81M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate81.13 %★59.66 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.75 %9 %★
Coal Revenue2.4★0.06
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)10.38 %16 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★5.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index59.6★58.2
Electricity Consumption207.1★49.07
Electricity Exports16.55★13
Electricity from Fossil Fuels8586★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants114★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels4★0
Electricity from Other Renewables10★0
Electricity Imports10.5610.84★
Electricity Installed Capacity50.02★12.96
Electricity Production234.5★55.55
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)86.2 USD per capita★55.31 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate55.4 %★45.78 %
Gini Index Coefficient63★31.2
Gross National Saving16.132.7★
High-Tech Export Percentage45.27 %★29.48 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries13,592.05 USD★11,622.86 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.4 %7.2 %★
Inflation Rate3.21 %★8.8 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.4 %★9.6 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP2.8 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption5.0743.07★
Natural Gas Exports09.4★
Natural Gas Imports4.16★0
Natural Gas Production906.1★52.1
Natural Gas Proved Reserves01.84★
Oil Consumption553,000★144,000
Oil Exports54,930★2,078
Oil Imports521,400★9,013
Oil Production192,100★58,650
Oil Proved Reserves15594★
Population Below Poverty Line55.5 people14.1 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)15.88 % of GDP26.65 % of GDP★
Public Debt76.210.5★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.61 %★0.14 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)0.6 USD6.5 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends7.42 %7.95 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption621,000★60,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports105,600★3,977
Refined Petroleum Products Imports195,200★0
Refined Petroleum Products Production487,100★61,740
Remittances0.214.4★
Researchers in R&D per Million444.16 researchers543.84 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.61 USD★0.14 USD
Tax Burden (% of GDP)25.4 %11.01 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)25.4 % of GDP★11.01 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues26★11.5
Top Exporting Countries127.53B USD★26.17B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-0.51 %2.99 %★
Unemployment Rate33.2 %4.5 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate55.58 %★57.5 %
Youth Unemployment Rate59.93 %11.38 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3.23M★16.36M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate87,566.02 %★41,037.99 %
Average Annual Temperature18.35 °C★15.44 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions446.7110.99★
Global Precipitation Distribution652.17 mm★170.57 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 mapmost of the population is concentrated in the fertile Fergana Valley in the easternmost arm of the country; the south has significant clusters of people, but the central and western deserts are sparsely populated
Protected Land Area for Adaptation9.88 sq km15.03 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage9.6 %14.1 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country4.8 Cubic meters per year8.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources51.35★48.87
Total Threatened Mammal Species33 species10 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.94 %4.31 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)85.66★48.18
Agricultural land963,410 sq. km★260,231.6 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km1.21M★440,650
Coastline Length (km)2,798 km★0 km
Dam capacity per capita464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant580.3 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land16,70037,305★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.59 %★32.12 %
Administrative Divisions912★
Corruption Perception Index41 index32 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index★32 index
Independence31★1
LGBT Rights Index Score10.94★-1.23
Prison Population Rate259 per 100,00068 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception4132★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water68.01 %81.93 %★
Average BMI for Adults25 kg/m²26.3 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate76 %99 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)102.0532.62★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.27.5★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.31 years72.53 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.87 per 1,000 births0.7 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,541.18 USD★1,018.81 USD
Health Coverage Index Score74 score79 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.3 % of GDP★7.7 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.31 years72.53 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.3 %0.2 %★
Hospital Bed Density2.3 people/sq km4 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.25 beds per 1,0004.92 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.64 %5.85 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate0.11 cases per 1,0000 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)118 %26 %★
Mean Age at First Birth22.523.8★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.01 per 1,000 people11.08 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.3 %16.6 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending6.69 %★64.06 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS7.8★58,000
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people3 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.782.81★
Underweight Children Under 54.91.8★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Active Military Personnel74,000 personnel★48,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.89 %★2.49 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)89,000★68,000

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Currently married (Percent)33.25 %73.17 %★
Human Capital Index0.420.62★
Life expectancy at birth71.98 years76.08 years★
Median age of population29 years★27.11 years
Population Change673,269.7 persons695,840.9 persons★
Population density53.74 per sq. km★88.77 per sq. km
Total population65.49M persons★37.74M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.83★0.25
Beer Consumption per Capita3.65 liters★0.19 liters
Birth Rate (%)17.21 %18.93 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.6 %NA
Crude Birth Rate18.48 per 1,000 people25.56 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.56 %5 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6 % of GDP★5.5 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age18.20M persons★9.19M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.84 %46.47 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate5.35 %34.74 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.52 male/female107.73 male/female★
Human Development Index0.48★0.35
Labor Force Participation Rate27.77★13.97
Learning-adjusted years of school4.88 years9.13 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population10.32 people★2.6 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.68169.38★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.65 %8.98 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.63 %87.5 %★
Physician Density0.79 people/sq km2.81 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.06 %1.26 %★
Population living in slums23.64 %★3.1 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio30.3319.03★
Total deaths540,582.7 persons225,367.8 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.02 %★54.83 %
Total fertility rate2.17 per woman3.55 per woman★
Total net-migration39,599.6 persons★-6,140.7 persons
Under-five mortality rate28.89 per live births14.52 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.34 %1.92 %★
Voting Age Population39.64 millions62.78 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.37★0.09
Airports573★74
Civil Air Travel90NA
Heliports49★3

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.72B USD★3.54B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇿🇦 South Africa🇺🇿 UzbekistanShare
Current Bank Rate7 %14 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa vs Uzbekistan

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

South Africa. South Africa has 73% more people than Uzbekistan (65.49 million vs 37.74 million). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 3.1 times the size of Uzbekistan's ($424.75 billion vs $139.24 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $3,689 in Uzbekistan (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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