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Country comparison

South Africa vs Botswana

South Africa and Botswana side by side across 199 indicators — each row links to the full 54-country ranking, with sources and the API call behind every figure.

GDP$479.96B vs $21.94BSouth Africa vs Botswana
GDP per Capita$7,503 vs $8,490South Africa vs Botswana
Population64.75M vs 2.56MSouth Africa vs Botswana

Indicator by indicator

199 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 South Africa BotswanaPeriod
GDPEconomy$479.96B$21.94B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$7,503$8,4902026
Inflation RateEconomy5%10.8%2026-07
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy7%—2026-07-01
Official Exchange RateEconomy16.37 LCU/USD14.15 LCU/USD2026-07
Budget BalanceEconomy-4.9%-10.7%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy32.4%24.5%2025
Public DebtEconomy78.9%47%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$8.16B$-1.09B2025
GDP GrowthEconomy1%4.7%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$6,270$7,3902025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$15,600$19,9602025
GDP (PPP)Economy$1.03T$53.03B2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy2.8%1.8%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy24.1%27.9%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy12.3%5.7%2025
Services (% of GDP)Economy63.1%64.6%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy13.9%29.2%2025
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$1B$128.3M2025/2024
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy0.2%0.7%2025/2024
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy44.8%11.9%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$76.02B$3.46B2025/2024
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy89.4%33.2%2024/2025
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy25.9%22.5%2024
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy55.6%68.8%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy49.9%63.7%2025
Income Inequality (Gini)Economy54.154.92022/2015 ⚠
Extreme Poverty RateEconomy17.4%21.4%2022/2015 ⚠
Account OwnershipEconomy81.1%61.4%2024
Youth NEET RateEconomy34.6%38%2024
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy0.7%2.8%2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy60.9%69.5%2025
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy2.8%3.6%2025
Tourism ReceiptsEconomy$2.72B$217M2020
Tourist ArrivalsEconomy3.89M1.83M2020/2018
Current Account BalanceEconomy-0.9%-1.9%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$2.47B$467.42M2024
FDI (% of GDP)Economy0.6%2.4%2024
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy27.2%—2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy33%—2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy60.1%45.2%2024
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy51.7452024
Natural Resource RentsEconomy7.3%1%2021
Oil Rents (% of GDP)Economy0.4%0%2021
Mineral Rents (% of GDP)Economy3.8%0.2%2021
Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%0%2021
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy0.4%1.5%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$24$1152023
Lending Interest RateEconomy10.7%6.3%2025/2024
Real Interest RateEconomy7.7%4.2%2025/2024
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy12.9%32%2025/2024
Adjusted Net Income per CapitaEconomy$5,521$5,4562021
Employment in AgricultureEconomy5.4%18%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy20.8%15.8%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy73.8%66.2%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy11.7%25.6%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy65.8%45.8%2025
Income Share of Poorest 20%Economy3.7%3.7%2022/2015 ⚠
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy87.92024
ATMs per 100,000Economy4637.92024
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy-0%-2.3%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy5.7%1.5%2024
Poverty Rate ($3.65/day)Economy30.2%35.8%2022/2015 ⚠
Poverty Rate ($6.85/day)Economy59.6%63.2%2022/2015 ⚠
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$134.18B$6.38B2025
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$126.02B$7.48B2025
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.5530.9262024
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.1450.8192024
Liner Shipping ConnectivityTrade39.1—2021
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade8.2%0.7%2025/2023
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade38.3%86.3%2025/2023
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade12.8%1.9%2025/2023
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade5.7%0.5%2024/2023
Exports (% of GDP)Trade31.4%32%2025
Imports (% of GDP)Trade29.5%37.5%2025
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.7410.7312023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.3880.492023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment0.4760.5092023
PopulationDemographics64.75M2.56M2025
Population GrowthDemographics1.1%1.6%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics66.3 years69.3 years2024
Median AgeDemographics28.9 years23.7 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics2.212.72024
Rural PopulationDemographics36.2%32%2025
Population Under 15Demographics25.7%32%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics63.8%68%2025
Population DensityDemographics53.6/km²4.6/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics17.823.42026
Death RateDemographics9.315.752026
Net Migration RateDemographics2.01-1.62026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics69.8 years71.9 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics62.8 years66.8 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics1.3%2.3%2025
Infant MortalityHealth24.232.12024
HIV PrevalenceHealth17.2%15.7%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health8.9%6.3%2023
Physicians per 1,000Health0.790.382022/2023
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth74602023
Road Traffic DeathsHealth24.516.52021
Premature NCD MortalityHealth22.7%19%2021
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth6.7%4.3%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth73.8%—2024
Maternal MortalityHealth117.6155.12023
Under-Five MortalityHealth34.739.62023
Neonatal MortalityHealth11.720.92023
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth3891432024
Measles ImmunizationHealth66%83%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth65%95%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth22.2%28.5%2024
Basic SanitationHealth3.6%—2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth7.2%4.6%2024
Hospital Beds per 1,000Health2.252.362010/2022 ⚠
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth54.6%67.4%2016/2017
Skilled Birth AttendanceHealth96.7%99.8%2016/2017
Nurses & Midwives per 1,000Health6.393.022022/2023
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth51.853.52024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$537$4902023
NCD Share of DeathsHealth37.2%28.3%2021
Smoking PrevalenceHealth23.7%18%2024
Antenatal Care CoverageHealth93.7%94.1%2016/2007 ⚠
Child StuntingChild Welfare24.4%21%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare3.6%7.3%2017/2007 ⚠
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare88.6%100%2017/2021
Child MarriageChild Welfare3.6%—2016
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare11.8%10%2017/2007 ⚠
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education6%8.1%2024/2020
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation23.5%21.4%2023/2024
Adult Literacy RateEducation91.2%81.2%2024/2003 ⚠
Youth Literacy RateEducation97.2%94%2024/2003 ⚠
Primary Completion RateEducation97.6%96.6%2024/2023
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation92.5%92%2024/2023
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation93.9%99.5%2023/2022
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation90.4%90.8%2023/2022
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation86.9%69.3%2023/2022
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation62.2%54.3%2024/2023
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation77.9%99.9%2002/2022 ⚠
Secondary EnrollmentEducation104.1%70.6%2023/2021
UndernourishmentFood Security10%24%2023
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture79.4%45.6%2023
Food Production IndexAgriculture113.296.92022
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture98K t30K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture6.33K t1K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture12.85M t18K t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture3.08K t—2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture1.92M t1.33K t2024
Maize YieldAgriculture4,874 kg/ha600 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture2,912 kg/ha—2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture3,809 kg/ha1,144 kg/ha2024
Cattle StockAgriculture12.1M head918.1K head2024
Homicide RateGovernance43.711.42022/2021
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance41572024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.7430.6652025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.6330.522025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.5380.2042025
Control of CorruptionGovernance-0.190.632024
Government EffectivenessGovernance-0.230.422024
Rule of LawGovernance0.020.312024
Political StabilityGovernance-0.621.032024
Regulatory QualityGovernance-0.060.42024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance0.610.32024
Refugees HostedHumanitarian55.18K8472025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian002025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian82.36K212025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian002025
Internet UsersTechnology78.4%57.5%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology179.31642024
4G CoverageTechnology99.4%93%2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology5.37.42024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology1.3%1.4%2025
3G CoverageTechnology99.9%98%2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology3.4%7.9%2025
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology1.1%1.8%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology0.6%0.6%2022/2013 ⚠
Electricity AccessInfrastructure90.2%80.2%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure15.45M172.72K2023
Slum PopulationInfrastructure24.2%39.6%2022
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy16.6K MW168.9 MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy11.3K MW168.9 MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy4.3K MW—2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy751.7 MW—2025
Renewable Energy ShareEnergy9.7%27.4%2021
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy89.8%66.4%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy3,247 kWh1,641 kWh2023
Power Transmission LossesEnergy10.2%20.6%2023
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy14.1 MW2.4 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy86.3%45.9%2024
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy8%0.3%2025/2024
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy4.7%0%2025/2024
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy0.8%0%2025/2024
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy82.2%99.7%2025/2024
Electricity DemandEnergy237 TWh4.7 TWh2025/2024
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy699 gCO₂/kWh851 gCO₂/kWh2025/2024
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy21,287 kWh9,508 kWh2024/2023
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate6.88 t2.74 t2024
Renewable Electricity OutputClimate6.4%0.2%2021
Forest AreaClimate14%26.3%2023
Protected AreasClimate12.9%27.6%2025
Freshwater WithdrawalsClimate47.1%8.9%2022
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate27.7 µg/m³13.2 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=ZA,BW" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"
South Africa profileBotswana profileGet a free API key

Frequently asked questions

Does South Africa or Botswana have the larger economy?

South Africa has the larger economy: $479.96B for South Africa versus $21.94B for Botswana (GDP, current US$).

How do South Africa and Botswana compare across indicators?

This page compares South Africa and Botswana on 199 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=ZA,BW with a free Africa API key to get both countries' latest values as JSON.

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