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Country comparison

Benin vs South Africa

Benin and South Africa side by side across 202 indicators — each row links to the full 54-country ranking, with sources and the API call behind every figure.

GDP$27.79B vs $479.96BBenin vs South Africa
GDP per Capita$1,809 vs $7,503Benin vs South Africa
Population14.81M vs 64.75MBenin vs South Africa

Indicator by indicator

202 indicators

Each country shows its latest available year, which can differ by indicator. Rows where the two sides are 5+ years apart are marked in the Period column.

Indicator Benin South AfricaPeriod
GDPEconomy$27.79B$479.96B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$1,809$7,5032026
Inflation RateEconomy2%5%2026
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy3%7%2026-03-16
Official Exchange RateEconomy569.51 LCU/USD16.37 LCU/USD2026-06
Budget BalanceEconomy-2.9%-4.9%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy1.6%32.4%2025
Public DebtEconomy57.2%78.9%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$-739.95M$8.16B2025
GDP GrowthEconomy7%1%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$1,600$6,2702025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$4,760$15,6002025
GDP (PPP)Economy$71.36B$1.03T2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy22.9%2.8%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy17.5%24.1%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy10.2%12.3%2025
Services (% of GDP)Economy50.1%63.1%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy35.8%13.9%2025
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$338.54M$1B2023/2025
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy1.7%0.2%2023/2025
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy66.6%44.8%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$76.02B2025
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy19.8%89.4%2025/2024
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy10.8%25.9%1979/2024 ⚠
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy76.4%55.6%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy75.2%49.9%2025
Income Inequality (Gini)Economy34.454.12021/2022
Extreme Poverty RateEconomy27.2%17.4%2021/2022
Account OwnershipEconomy51.8%81.1%2024
Youth NEET RateEconomy14.2%34.6%2022/2024
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy0.7%0.7%2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy37.1%60.9%2025
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy1.6%2.8%2025
Tourism ReceiptsEconomy$240.86M$2.72B2019/2020
Tourist ArrivalsEconomy337K3.89M2019/2020
Current Account BalanceEconomy-5%-0.9%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$543.01M$2.47B2024
FDI (% of GDP)Economy2.5%0.6%2024
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy15%27.2%2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy18.1%33%2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy3.2%60.1%2022/2024
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy31.851.72024
Natural Resource RentsEconomy2.3%7.3%2021
Oil Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%0.4%2021
Mineral Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%3.8%2021
Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%0%2021
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy5.3%0.4%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$73$242023
Lending Interest RateEconomy6.3%10.7%2021/2025
Real Interest RateEconomy4.6%7.7%2021/2025
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy30.3%12.9%2023/2025
Adjusted Net Income per CapitaEconomy$1,173$5,5212021
Employment in AgricultureEconomy40.2%5.4%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy18.3%20.8%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy41.4%73.8%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy78.5%11.7%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy58.3%65.8%2025
Income Share of Poorest 20%Economy7.6%3.7%2021/2022
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy2.582024
ATMs per 100,000Economy4462024
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy5.5%-0%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy5.4%5.7%2024
Poverty Rate ($3.65/day)Economy50%30.2%2021/2022
Poverty Rate ($6.85/day)Economy86.5%59.6%2021/2022
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$4.19B$134.18B2025
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$4.93B$126.02B2025
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.7960.5532024
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.4230.1452024
Liner Shipping ConnectivityTrade19.139.12021
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade0%8.2%2024/2025
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade7.4%38.3%2024/2025
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade39.7%12.8%2024/2025
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade30.5%5.7%2024
Exports (% of GDP)Trade17.1%31.4%2025
Imports (% of GDP)Trade20.1%29.5%2025
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.5150.7412023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.5730.3882023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment0.3160.4762023
PopulationDemographics14.81M64.75M2025
Population GrowthDemographics2.4%1.1%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics61 years66.3 years2024
Median AgeDemographics18.2 years28.9 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics4.482.212024
Rural PopulationDemographics46.6%36.2%2025
Population Under 15Demographics41.3%25.7%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics53.4%63.8%2025
Population DensityDemographics134.5/km²53.6/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics32.617.82026
Death RateDemographics8.569.312026
Net Migration RateDemographics-0.422.012026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics62.4 years69.8 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics59.5 years62.8 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics3.9%1.3%2025
Infant MortalityHealth45.224.22024
HIV PrevalenceHealth0.7%17.2%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health3.3%8.9%2023
Physicians per 1,000Health0.220.792023/2022
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth38742023
Road Traffic DeathsHealth24.824.52021
Premature NCD MortalityHealth20.8%22.7%2021
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth42.4%6.7%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth16.4%73.8%2024
Maternal MortalityHealth518.2117.62023
Under-Five MortalityHealth77.934.72023
Neonatal MortalityHealth2811.72023
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth403892024
Measles ImmunizationHealth49%66%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth69%65%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth51.9%22.2%2024
Basic SanitationHealth5.9%3.6%2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth8.1%7.2%2024
Hospital Beds per 1,000Health0.432.252021/2010 ⚠
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth22.4%54.6%2022/2016 ⚠
Skilled Birth AttendanceHealth78.1%96.7%2018/2016
Nurses & Midwives per 1,000Health0.616.392023/2022
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth76.451.82024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$47$5372023
NCD Share of DeathsHealth36.2%37.2%2021
Smoking PrevalenceHealth7.4%23.7%2024
Antenatal Care CoverageHealth83.2%93.7%2018/2016
Child StuntingChild Welfare33.2%24.4%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare8.3%3.6%2021/2017
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare92.6%88.6%2022/2017 ⚠
Child MarriageChild Welfare27.5%3.6%2022/2016 ⚠
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare2.9%11.8%2021/2017
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education3.2%6%2023/2024
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation10.2%23.5%2022/2023
Adult Literacy RateEducation51.4%91.2%2022/2024
Youth Literacy RateEducation71.3%97.2%2022/2024
Primary Completion RateEducation50.4%97.6%2022/2024
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation28.7%92.5%2022/2024
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation90.4%93.9%2022/2023
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation52.8%90.4%2022/2023
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation32.1%86.9%2022/2023
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation11.8%62.2%2022/2024
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation75.1%77.9%2021/2002 ⚠
Secondary EnrollmentEducation43.6%104.1%2022/2023
UndernourishmentFood Security14.3%10%2023
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture41.8%79.4%2023
Food Production IndexAgriculture126.3113.22022
Cassava ProductionAgriculture4.45M t2024
Coffee ProductionAgriculture55.13 t2024
Cocoa ProductionAgriculture100 t2010
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture279.27K t98K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture30.4K t6.33K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture2.09M t12.85M t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture500.61K t3.08K t2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture1.92M t2024
Maize YieldAgriculture1,191 kg/ha4,874 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture3,896 kg/ha2,912 kg/ha2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture3,809 kg/ha2024
Cattle StockAgriculture2.8M head12.1M head2024
Homicide RateGovernance1.143.72017/2022 ⚠
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance45412024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.4930.7432025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.3230.6332025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.1910.5382025
Control of CorruptionGovernance-0.24-0.192024
Government EffectivenessGovernance-0.19-0.232024
Rule of LawGovernance-0.410.022024
Political StabilityGovernance-0.4-0.622024
Regulatory QualityGovernance-0.28-0.062024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance-0.380.612024
Refugees HostedHumanitarian16.97K55.18K2025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian27.29K02025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian11.95K82.36K2025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian002025
Internet UsersTechnology34%78.4%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology125.9179.32024
4G CoverageTechnology85%99.4%2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology0.35.32024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology6.9%1.3%2025
3G CoverageTechnology85%99.9%2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology21.5%3.4%2025
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology5.4%1.1%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology0.6%2022
Electricity AccessInfrastructure59%90.2%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure89915.45M2016/2023 ⚠
Slum PopulationInfrastructure64%24.2%2022
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy35.8 MW16.6K MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy35.3 MW11.3K MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy4.3K MW2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy0.5 MW751.7 MW2025
Renewable Energy ShareEnergy54.5%9.7%2021
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy6%89.8%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy115 kWh3,247 kWh2023
Power Transmission LossesEnergy58.6%10.2%2023
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy8.9 MW14.1 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy45%86.3%2024
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy4%8%2024/2025
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy0%4.7%2024/2025
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy0%0.8%2024/2025
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy96%82.2%2024/2025
Electricity DemandEnergy2.3 TWh237 TWh2024/2025
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy584 gCO₂/kWh699 gCO₂/kWh2024/2025
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy1,897 kWh21,287 kWh2023/2024
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate0.49 t6.88 t2024
Renewable Electricity OutputClimate0.3%6.4%2021
Forest AreaClimate26.5%14%2023
Protected AreasClimate28.8%12.9%2025
Freshwater WithdrawalsClimate1.3%47.1%2022
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate39.7 µg/m³27.7 µg/m³2023

Get this comparison via API

GET /v1/data

One call returns both countries' latest value for any indicator — JSON, with source metadata.

curl "https://api.africa-api.com/v1/data?metric_key=gdp_current_usd&latest=true&country_codes=BJ,ZA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"

Frequently asked questions

Does Benin or South Africa have the larger economy?

South Africa has the larger economy: $27.79B for Benin versus $479.96B for South Africa (GDP, current US$).

How do Benin and South Africa compare across indicators?

This page compares Benin and South Africa on 202 indicators — economy, demographics, health, governance and more — each with its latest value, source, and a link to the full 54-country ranking.

How do I get this comparison via the API?

Call GET /v1/data?metric_key=<key>&latest=true&country_codes=BJ,ZA with a free Africa API key to get both countries' latest values as JSON.

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