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Democratic Republic of the Congo vs South Africa

Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa side by side across 203 indicators — each row links to the full 54-country ranking, with sources and the API call behind every figure.

GDP$123.41B vs $479.96BDemocratic Republic of the Congo vs South Africa
GDP per Capita$1,122 vs $7,503Democratic Republic of the Congo vs South Africa
Population112.83M vs 64.75MDemocratic Republic of the Congo vs South Africa

Indicator by indicator

203 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 Democratic Republic of the Congo South AfricaPeriod
GDPEconomy$123.41B$479.96B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$1,122$7,5032026
Inflation RateEconomy3.3%5%2026
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy—7%2026-07-01
Official Exchange RateEconomy2,259.25 LCU/USD16.37 LCU/USD2026-07
Budget BalanceEconomy-3.5%-4.9%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy4.4%32.4%2025
Public DebtEconomy24.6%78.9%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$-454.53M$8.16B2025
GDP GrowthEconomy5.9%1%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$720$6,2702025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$1,850$15,6002025
GDP (PPP)Economy$216.62B$1.03T2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy8.9%2.8%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy39.7%24.1%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy7.9%12.3%2025
Services (% of GDP)Economy48%63.1%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy31.7%13.9%2025
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$3.32B$1B2025
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy3.6%0.2%2025
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy18.3%44.8%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$5.1B$76.02B2023/2025
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy11.3%89.4%2023/2024
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy10.7%25.9%2022/2024
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy64.3%55.6%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy61.8%49.9%2025
Income Inequality (Gini)Economy44.754.12020/2022
Extreme Poverty RateEconomy85.3%17.4%2020/2022
Account OwnershipEconomy39.2%81.1%2024
Youth NEET RateEconomy31.4%34.6%2020/2024
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy1.2%0.7%2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy87.3%60.9%2025
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy7.8%2.8%2025
Tourism ReceiptsEconomy$60.5M$2.72B2018/2020
Tourist ArrivalsEconomy351K3.89M2016/2020
Current Account BalanceEconomy-2%-0.9%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$3.11B$2.47B2024
FDI (% of GDP)Economy4.1%0.6%2024
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy15.2%27.2%2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy16.7%33%2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy1.7%60.1%2020/2024
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy22.651.72024
Natural Resource RentsEconomy38.8%7.3%2021
Oil Rents (% of GDP)Economy0.6%0.4%2021
Mineral Rents (% of GDP)Economy28.8%3.8%2021
Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%0%2021
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy6.4%0.4%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$41$242023
Lending Interest RateEconomy23.3%10.7%2021/2025
Real Interest RateEconomy-3.5%7.7%2021/2025
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy28.7%12.9%2025
Adjusted Net Income per CapitaEconomy$328$5,5212021
Employment in AgricultureEconomy58.5%5.4%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy8%20.8%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy33.5%73.8%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy81.5%11.7%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy52.7%65.8%2025
Income Share of Poorest 20%Economy5.5%3.7%2020/2022
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy0.682019/2024 ⚠
ATMs per 100,000Economy1.3462018/2024 ⚠
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy2.4%-0%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy0.6%5.7%2024
Poverty Rate ($3.65/day)Economy92.5%30.2%2020/2022
Poverty Rate ($6.85/day)Economy98%59.6%2020/2022
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$39.52B$134.18B2025
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$39.98B$126.02B2025
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.9220.5532024
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.660.1452024
Liner Shipping ConnectivityTrade4.839.12021
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade0%8.2%2023/2025
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade17.9%38.3%2023/2025
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade0.6%12.8%2023/2025
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade0.2%5.7%2023/2024
Exports (% of GDP)Trade43.4%31.4%2025
Imports (% of GDP)Trade43.9%29.5%2025
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.5220.7412023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.6040.3882023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment0.3410.4762023
PopulationDemographics112.83M64.75M2025
Population GrowthDemographics3.2%1.1%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics62.1 years66.3 years2024
Median AgeDemographics15.9 years28.9 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics5.982.212024
Rural PopulationDemographics54.9%36.2%2025
Population Under 15Demographics45.9%25.7%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics45.1%63.8%2025
Population DensityDemographics51.4/km²53.6/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics39.817.82026
Death RateDemographics8.249.312026
Net Migration RateDemographics-0.252.012026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics64.2 years69.8 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics60 years62.8 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics4%1.3%2025
Infant MortalityHealth56.424.22024
HIV PrevalenceHealth0.7%17.2%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health3.7%8.9%2023
Physicians per 1,000Health0.210.792022
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth41742023
Road Traffic DeathsHealth16.324.52021
Premature NCD MortalityHealth25.1%22.7%2021
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth38%6.7%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth13.1%73.8%2024
Maternal MortalityHealth427117.62023
Under-Five MortalityHealth73.234.72023
Neonatal MortalityHealth25.311.72023
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth3773892024
Measles ImmunizationHealth55%66%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth65%65%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth23.8%22.2%2024
Basic SanitationHealth3.2%3.6%2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth7.7%7.2%2024
Hospital Beds per 1,000Health0.82.252006/2010
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth28.1%54.6%2018/2016
Skilled Birth AttendanceHealth85.2%96.7%2018/2016
Nurses & Midwives per 1,000Health1.176.392022
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth105.251.82024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$23$5372023
NCD Share of DeathsHealth34.6%37.2%2021
Smoking PrevalenceHealth12.3%23.7%2024
Antenatal Care CoverageHealth82.4%93.7%2018/2016
Child StuntingChild Welfare44.1%24.4%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare7.2%3.6%2023/2017 ⚠
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare33.5%88.6%2024/2017 ⚠
Child MarriageChild Welfare29.9%3.6%2024/2016 ⚠
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare3.8%11.8%2023/2017 ⚠
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education2.8%6%2022/2024
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation6.4%23.5%2020/2023
Adult Literacy RateEducation68.5%91.2%2023/2024
Youth Literacy RateEducation77.9%97.2%2023/2024
Primary Completion RateEducation70%97.6%2023/2024
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation60.3%92.5%2023/2024
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation34.7%93.9%1999/2023 ⚠
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation43.5%90.4%1994/2023 ⚠
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation32.3%86.9%1994/2023 ⚠
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation34.5%62.2%2023/2024
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation100%77.9%2021/2002 ⚠
Secondary EnrollmentEducation55.5%104.1%2023
UndernourishmentFood Security38.5%10%2023
Acute Food InsecurityFood Security16.5M—2026-06
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture15.5%79.4%2023
Food Production IndexAgriculture122.8113.22022
Cassava ProductionAgriculture46.56M t—2024
Coffee ProductionAgriculture65.7K t—2024
Cocoa ProductionAgriculture50K t—2024
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture9.01K t98K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture41.04K t6.33K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture2.39M t12.85M t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture1.94M t3.08K t2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture9K t1.92M t2024
Maize YieldAgriculture769 kg/ha4,874 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture1,052 kg/ha2,912 kg/ha2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture1,125 kg/ha3,809 kg/ha2024
Cattle StockAgriculture2M head12.1M head2024
Homicide RateGovernance—43.72022
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance20412024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.3060.7432025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.1150.6332025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.8860.5382025
Control of CorruptionGovernance-1.52-0.192024
Government EffectivenessGovernance-1.69-0.232024
Rule of LawGovernance-1.630.022024
Political StabilityGovernance-2.12-0.622024
Regulatory QualityGovernance-1.28-0.062024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance-1.210.612024
Refugees HostedHumanitarian503.73K55.18K2025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian5.67M02025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian100.11K82.36K2025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian002025
Internet UsersTechnology19.7%78.4%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology58.5179.32024
4G CoverageTechnology45%99.4%2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology05.32024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology18.8%1.3%2025
3G CoverageTechnology55%99.9%2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology—3.4%2025
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology16.9%1.1%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology0.4%0.6%2015/2022 ⚠
Electricity AccessInfrastructure22.5%90.2%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure1.15M15.45M2023
Slum PopulationInfrastructure78.4%24.2%2022
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy3.3K MW16.6K MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy28.8 MW11.3K MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy—4.3K MW2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy3.2K MW751.7 MW2025
Renewable Energy ShareEnergy96.3%9.7%2021
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy5%89.8%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy129 kWh3,247 kWh2023
Power Transmission LossesEnergy9.1%10.2%2023
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy53.7 MW14.1 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy1%86.3%2024
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy15.8%8%2024/2025
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy0%4.7%2024/2025
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy84.2%0.8%2024/2025
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy0%82.2%2024/2025
Electricity DemandEnergy17 TWh237 TWh2024/2025
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy28 gCO₂/kWh699 gCO₂/kWh2024/2025
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy382 kWh21,287 kWh2023/2024
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate0.06 t6.88 t2024
Renewable Electricity OutputClimate90.4%6.4%2021
Forest AreaClimate54.2%14%2023
Protected AreasClimate14.9%12.9%2025
Freshwater WithdrawalsClimate0.1%47.1%2022
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate35.8 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=CD,ZA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"
Democratic Republic of the Congo profileSouth Africa profileGet a free API key

Frequently asked questions

Does Democratic Republic of the Congo or South Africa have the larger economy?

South Africa has the larger economy: $123.41B for Democratic Republic of the Congo versus $479.96B for South Africa (GDP, current US$).

How do Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa compare across indicators?

This page compares Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa on 203 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=CD,ZA with a free Africa API key to get both countries' latest values as JSON.

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