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Country comparison

South Africa vs Ghana

South Africa and Ghana 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$479.96B vs $118.29BSouth Africa vs Ghana
GDP per Capita$7,503 vs $3,314South Africa vs Ghana
Population64.75M vs 35.06MSouth Africa vs Ghana

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 South Africa GhanaPeriod
GDPEconomy$479.96B$118.29B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$7,503$3,3142026
Inflation RateEconomy5%5.3%2026-07
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy7%14%2026-07-01
Official Exchange RateEconomy16.37 LCU/USD11.46 LCU/USD2026-07
Budget BalanceEconomy-4.9%-2.3%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy32.4%3%2025
Public DebtEconomy78.9%53%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$8.16B$953.4M2025/2024
GDP GrowthEconomy1%4.8%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$6,270$2,6302025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$15,600$8,0802025
GDP (PPP)Economy$1.03T$301.91B2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy2.8%21.3%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy24.1%29.3%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy12.3%10.1%2025
Services (% of GDP)Economy63.1%42.9%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy13.9%9.9%2025/2024
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$1B$2.42B2025
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy0.2%2.1%2025
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy44.8%46.9%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$76.02B$4.47B2025/2024
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy89.4%8.9%2024
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy25.9%12.4%2024/2023
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy55.6%58.5%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy49.9%55.3%2025
Income Inequality (Gini)Economy54.143.52022/2016 ⚠
Extreme Poverty RateEconomy17.4%39%2022/2016 ⚠
Account OwnershipEconomy81.1%81.2%2024
Youth NEET RateEconomy34.6%23.9%2024
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy0.7%0.4%2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy60.9%69%2025/2024
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy2.8%14.4%2025
Tourism ReceiptsEconomy$2.72B$191M2020
Tourist ArrivalsEconomy3.89M897K2020/2015 ⚠
Current Account BalanceEconomy-0.9%10.1%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$2.47B$1.67B2024
FDI (% of GDP)Economy0.6%2%2024
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy27.2%15.9%2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy33%23.2%2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy60.1%10%2024
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy51.734.92024
Natural Resource RentsEconomy7.3%13.3%2021
Oil Rents (% of GDP)Economy0.4%4.1%2021
Mineral Rents (% of GDP)Economy3.8%5.2%2021
Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%0.4%2021
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy0.4%2.1%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$24$472023
Lending Interest RateEconomy10.7%—2025
Real Interest RateEconomy7.7%—2025
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy12.9%12.4%2025/2024
Adjusted Net Income per CapitaEconomy$5,521$1,8422021
Employment in AgricultureEconomy5.4%34.6%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy20.8%18.3%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy73.8%47.2%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy11.7%60%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy65.8%83%2025/2024
Income Share of Poorest 20%Economy3.7%4.7%2022/2016 ⚠
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy85.92024
ATMs per 100,000Economy46112024
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy-0%4%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy5.7%3.5%2024
Poverty Rate ($3.65/day)Economy30.2%56.3%2022/2016 ⚠
Poverty Rate ($6.85/day)Economy59.6%85.4%2022/2016 ⚠
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$134.18B$29.2B2025/2024
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$126.02B$28.24B2025/2024
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.5530.8172024
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.1450.5142024
Liner Shipping ConnectivityTrade39.137.22021
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade8.2%24.5%2025/2023
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade38.3%6%2025/2023
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade12.8%18.1%2025/2023
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade5.7%2.1%2024/2023
Exports (% of GDP)Trade31.4%35.1%2025/2024
Imports (% of GDP)Trade29.5%33.9%2025/2024
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.7410.6282023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.3880.5142023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment0.4760.3992023
PopulationDemographics64.75M35.06M2025
Population GrowthDemographics1.1%1.8%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics66.3 years65.7 years2024
Median AgeDemographics28.9 years21.6 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics2.213.342024
Rural PopulationDemographics36.2%41.1%2025
Population Under 15Demographics25.7%35.4%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics63.8%58.9%2025
Population DensityDemographics53.6/km²156.9/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics17.825.32026
Death RateDemographics9.316.972026
Net Migration RateDemographics2.01-0.682026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics69.8 years68.2 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics62.8 years63.3 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics1.3%2.8%2025
Infant MortalityHealth24.227.52024
HIV PrevalenceHealth17.2%1.5%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health8.9%2.9%2023
Physicians per 1,000Health0.790.272022/2023
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth74562023
Road Traffic DeathsHealth24.525.92021
Premature NCD MortalityHealth22.7%22.2%2021
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth6.7%26.7%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth73.8%18.8%2024
Maternal MortalityHealth117.6234.32023
Under-Five MortalityHealth34.737.12023
Neonatal MortalityHealth11.721.22023
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth3891262024
Measles ImmunizationHealth66%93%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth65%99%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth22.2%47%2024
Basic SanitationHealth3.6%12.8%2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth7.2%2.7%2024
Hospital Beds per 1,000Health2.250.692010/2015 ⚠
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth54.6%36.3%2016/2022 ⚠
Skilled Birth AttendanceHealth96.7%78.9%2016/2018
Nurses & Midwives per 1,000Health6.394.112022/2023
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth51.857.42024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$537$702023
NCD Share of DeathsHealth37.2%46.8%2021
Smoking PrevalenceHealth23.7%3.3%2024
Antenatal Care CoverageHealth93.7%97.4%2016/2019
Child StuntingChild Welfare24.4%15.6%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare3.6%5.8%2017/2022 ⚠
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare88.6%74.5%2017/2022 ⚠
Child MarriageChild Welfare3.6%16.1%2016/2022 ⚠
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare11.8%2%2017/2022 ⚠
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education6%2.9%2024/2022
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation23.5%21.3%2023/2024
Adult Literacy RateEducation91.2%76.5%2024/2021
Youth Literacy RateEducation97.2%91.5%2024/2021
Primary Completion RateEducation97.6%77.6%2024
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation92.5%71.2%2024
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation93.9%95.2%2023/2024
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation90.4%94.8%2023/2024
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation86.9%41.9%2023/2024
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation62.2%45%2024
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation77.9%89.3%2002/2024 ⚠
Secondary EnrollmentEducation104.1%75.7%2023/2024
UndernourishmentFood Security10%6.3%2023
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture79.4%55.4%2023
Food Production IndexAgriculture113.2135.52022
Cassava ProductionAgriculture—27.92M t2024
Coffee ProductionAgriculture—736 t2024
Cocoa ProductionAgriculture—530K t2024
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture98K t479K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture6.33K t210K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture12.85M t3.79M t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture3.08K t1.72M t2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture1.92M t—2024
Maize YieldAgriculture4,874 kg/ha2,772 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture2,912 kg/ha3,640 kg/ha2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture3,809 kg/ha—2024
Cattle StockAgriculture12.1M head2.4M head2024
Homicide RateGovernance43.71.82022
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance41422024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.7430.7112025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.6330.6062025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.5380.6152025
Control of CorruptionGovernance-0.19-0.192024
Government EffectivenessGovernance-0.230.062024
Rule of LawGovernance0.020.052024
Political StabilityGovernance-0.620.012024
Regulatory QualityGovernance-0.06-0.092024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance0.610.22024
Refugees HostedHumanitarian55.18K21.05K2025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian002025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian82.36K4752025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian002025
Internet UsersTechnology78.4%72.2%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology179.3113.62024
4G CoverageTechnology99.4%99.3%2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology5.30.72024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology1.3%3.1%2025
3G CoverageTechnology99.9%99.5%2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology3.4%3.7%2025
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology1.1%0.7%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology0.6%0.4%2022/2010 ⚠
Electricity AccessInfrastructure90.2%91.9%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure15.45M440.68K2023
Slum PopulationInfrastructure24.2%33.5%2022
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy16.6K MW1.8K MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy11.3K MW185.5 MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy4.3K MW0 MW2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy751.7 MW1.6K MW2025
Renewable Energy ShareEnergy9.7%39%2021
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy89.8%32.8%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy3,247 kWh565 kWh2023
Power Transmission LossesEnergy10.2%11.2%2023
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy14.1 MW20.5 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy86.3%82.6%2024
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy8%0.7%2025/2024
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy4.7%0%2025/2024
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy0.8%35.4%2025/2024
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy82.2%63.8%2025/2024
Electricity DemandEnergy237 TWh22 TWh2025/2024
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy699 gCO₂/kWh469 gCO₂/kWh2025/2024
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy21,287 kWh3,075 kWh2024/2023
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate6.88 t0.7 t2024
Renewable Electricity OutputClimate6.4%34.9%2021
Forest AreaClimate14%35.2%2023
Protected AreasClimate12.9%7.9%2025
Freshwater WithdrawalsClimate47.1%4.8%2022
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate27.7 µg/m³28.1 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,GH" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"
South Africa profileGhana profileGet a free API key

Frequently asked questions

Does South Africa or Ghana have the larger economy?

South Africa has the larger economy: $479.96B for South Africa versus $118.29B for Ghana (GDP, current US$).

How do South Africa and Ghana compare across indicators?

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

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