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Country comparison

Rwanda vs South Africa

Rwanda 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$17.34B vs $479.96BRwanda vs South Africa
GDP per Capita$1,198 vs $7,503Rwanda vs South Africa
Population14.57M vs 64.75MRwanda 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 Rwanda South AfricaPeriod
GDPEconomy$17.34B$479.96B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$1,198$7,5032026
Inflation RateEconomy5.6%5%2026
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy—7%2026-07-01
Official Exchange RateEconomy1,464.4 LCU/USD16.37 LCU/USD2026-07
Budget BalanceEconomy-4.3%-4.9%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy5.4%32.4%2025
Public DebtEconomy66.8%78.9%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$-2.22B$8.16B2025
GDP GrowthEconomy7.2%1%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$1,150$6,2702025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$4,070$15,6002025
GDP (PPP)Economy$60.67B$1.03T2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy20.3%2.8%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy22%24.1%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy8.3%12.3%2025
Services (% of GDP)Economy52.3%63.1%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy34.1%13.9%2025
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$517.04M$1B2024/2025
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy3.4%0.2%2024/2025
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy93.9%44.8%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$1.96B$76.02B2025
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy22.1%89.4%2025/2024
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy13.1%25.9%2023/2024
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy63.7%55.6%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy57.3%49.9%2025
Income Inequality (Gini)Economy39.454.12023/2022
Extreme Poverty RateEconomy38.6%17.4%2023/2022
Account OwnershipEconomy50%81.1%2017/2024 ⚠
Youth NEET RateEconomy15.3%34.6%2025/2024
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy1.2%0.7%2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy56.7%60.9%2025
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy7.4%2.8%2025
Tourism ReceiptsEconomy$212M$2.72B2020
Tourist ArrivalsEconomy1.63M3.89M2019/2020
Current Account BalanceEconomy-13.4%-0.9%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$818.95M$2.47B2024
FDI (% of GDP)Economy5.4%0.6%2024
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy22.2%27.2%2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy28.8%33%2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy8.6%60.1%2025/2024
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy36.351.72024
Natural Resource RentsEconomy4%7.3%2021
Oil Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%0.4%2021
Mineral Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%3.8%2021
Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP)Economy0.1%0%2021
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy9.5%0.4%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$99$242023
Lending Interest RateEconomy16%10.7%2024/2025
Real Interest RateEconomy7.3%7.7%2024/2025
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy22.8%12.9%2024/2025
Adjusted Net Income per CapitaEconomy$674$5,5212021
Employment in AgricultureEconomy35.1%5.4%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy18.4%20.8%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy46.5%73.8%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy39.4%11.7%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy64.4%65.8%2025
Income Share of Poorest 20%Economy7.4%3.7%2023/2022
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy4.782024
ATMs per 100,000Economy3.5462024
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy7%-0%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy2.9%5.7%2024
Poverty Rate ($3.65/day)Economy62.2%30.2%2023/2022
Poverty Rate ($6.85/day)Economy89.8%59.6%2023/2022
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$3.53B$134.18B2025
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$5.75B$126.02B2025
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.7640.5532024
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.3810.1452024
Liner Shipping ConnectivityTrade—39.12021
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade0.1%8.2%2022/2025
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade10.4%38.3%2022/2025
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade27.2%12.8%2022/2025
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade4.8%5.7%2022/2024
Exports (% of GDP)Trade21.6%31.4%2025
Imports (% of GDP)Trade35.1%29.5%2025
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.5780.7412023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.3940.3882023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment0.3990.4762023
PopulationDemographics14.57M64.75M2025
Population GrowthDemographics2.2%1.1%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics68 years66.3 years2024
Median AgeDemographics20.2 years28.9 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics3.652.212024
Rural PopulationDemographics69.1%36.2%2025
Population Under 15Demographics37%25.7%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics30.9%63.8%2025
Population DensityDemographics615/km²53.6/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics27.517.82026
Death RateDemographics5.829.312026
Net Migration RateDemographics-0.472.012026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics70.1 years69.8 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics65.7 years62.8 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics5.6%1.3%2025
Infant MortalityHealth29.424.22024
HIV PrevalenceHealth2%17.2%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health5.1%8.9%2023
Physicians per 1,000Health0.090.792022
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth59742023
Road Traffic DeathsHealth11.624.52021
Premature NCD MortalityHealth20%22.7%2021
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth4.1%6.7%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth—73.8%2024
Maternal MortalityHealth229.5117.62023
Under-Five MortalityHealth4034.72023
Neonatal MortalityHealth18.111.72023
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth623892024
Measles ImmunizationHealth93%66%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth95%65%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth—22.2%2024
Basic SanitationHealth—3.6%2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth2.1%7.2%2024
Hospital Beds per 1,000Health0.752.252023/2010 ⚠
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth64.1%54.6%2020/2016
Skilled Birth AttendanceHealth94.2%96.7%2020/2016
Nurses & Midwives per 1,000Health1.116.392022
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth30.651.82024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$53$5372023
NCD Share of DeathsHealth50.3%37.2%2021
Smoking PrevalenceHealth10.1%23.7%2024
Antenatal Care CoverageHealth97.7%93.7%2020/2016
Child StuntingChild Welfare29.8%24.4%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare1.1%3.6%2020/2017
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare85.6%88.6%2020/2017
Child MarriageChild Welfare5.5%3.6%2020/2016
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare5.6%11.8%2020/2017
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education4.6%6%2024
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation9.4%23.5%2024/2023
Adult Literacy RateEducation78.8%91.2%2022/2024
Youth Literacy RateEducation90%97.2%2022/2024
Primary Completion RateEducation62.7%97.6%2022/2024
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation32%92.5%2022/2024
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation99%93.9%2024/2023
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation94.2%90.4%2024/2023
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation71.7%86.9%2024/2023
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation19.2%62.2%2022/2024
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation67.6%77.9%2024/2002 ⚠
Secondary EnrollmentEducation48.8%104.1%2024/2023
UndernourishmentFood Security24.4%10%2023
Acute Food InsecurityFood Security175K—2023-10
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture76.3%79.4%2023
Food Production IndexAgriculture117.3113.22022
Cassava ProductionAgriculture1.3M t—2024
Coffee ProductionAgriculture17.84K t—2024
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture187.77K t98K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture2K t6.33K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture627.09K t12.85M t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture141.93K t3.08K t2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture16.42K t1.92M t2024
Maize YieldAgriculture1,834 kg/ha4,874 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture4,108 kg/ha2,912 kg/ha2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture1,272 kg/ha3,809 kg/ha2024
Cattle StockAgriculture1.5M head12.1M head2024
Homicide RateGovernance3.643.72020/2022
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance57412024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.1930.7432025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.090.6332025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.4180.5382025
Control of CorruptionGovernance0.63-0.192024
Government EffectivenessGovernance0.35-0.232024
Rule of LawGovernance0.10.022024
Political StabilityGovernance-0.04-0.622024
Regulatory QualityGovernance0.27-0.062024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance-0.590.612024
Refugees HostedHumanitarian115.79K55.18K2025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian002025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian15.25K82.36K2025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian14.5K02025
Internet UsersTechnology31.7%78.4%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology93.2179.32024
4G CoverageTechnology98.8%99.4%2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology0.65.32024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology1.9%1.3%2025
3G CoverageTechnology99.8%99.9%2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology23.3%3.4%2025
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology2.8%1.1%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology0.8%0.6%2023/2022
Electricity AccessInfrastructure72%90.2%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure1.54M15.45M2023
Slum PopulationInfrastructure38.3%24.2%2022
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy126.8 MW16.6K MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy15.2 MW11.3K MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy—4.3K MW2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy110.8 MW751.7 MW2025
Renewable Energy ShareEnergy79.9%9.7%2022/2021
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy9.3%89.8%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy77 kWh3,247 kWh2023
Power Transmission LossesEnergy18.3%10.2%2023
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy4.3 MW14.1 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy65.2%86.3%2024
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy3.5%8%2024/2025
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy0%4.7%2024/2025
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy46%0.8%2024/2025
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy50.4%82.2%2024/2025
Electricity DemandEnergy1.2 TWh237 TWh2024/2025
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy354 gCO₂/kWh699 gCO₂/kWh2024/2025
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy530 kWh21,287 kWh2023/2024
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate0.16 t6.88 t2024
Renewable Electricity OutputClimate59.9%6.4%2021
Forest AreaClimate11.3%14%2023
Protected AreasClimate9.1%12.9%2025
Freshwater WithdrawalsClimate6.4%47.1%2022
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate36 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=RW,ZA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"
Rwanda profileSouth Africa profileGet a free API key

Frequently asked questions

Does Rwanda or South Africa have the larger economy?

South Africa has the larger economy: $17.34B for Rwanda versus $479.96B for South Africa (GDP, current US$).

How do Rwanda and South Africa compare across indicators?

This page compares Rwanda 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=RW,ZA with a free Africa API key to get both countries' latest values as JSON.

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