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Country comparison

South Africa vs Kenya

South Africa and Kenya 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 $147.27BSouth Africa vs Kenya
GDP per Capita$7,503 vs $2,714South Africa vs Kenya
Population64.75M vs 57.53MSouth Africa vs Kenya

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 KenyaPeriod
GDPEconomy$479.96B$147.27B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$7,503$2,7142026
Inflation RateEconomy5%6.4%2026-07
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy7%8.8%2026-07-01
Official Exchange RateEconomy16.37 LCU/USD129.27 LCU/USD2026-07
Budget BalanceEconomy-4.9%-6.4%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy32.4%5.4%2025
Public DebtEconomy78.9%71.6%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$8.16B$-8.15B2025
GDP GrowthEconomy1%4.5%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$6,270$2,2002025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$15,600$6,9102025
GDP (PPP)Economy$1.03T$403.64B2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy2.8%23.2%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy24.1%16.3%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy12.3%7.1%2025
Services (% of GDP)Economy63.1%55.1%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy13.9%17%2025
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$1B$5B2025/2024
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy0.2%4.2%2025/2024
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy44.8%35%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$76.02B$12.39B2025
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy89.4%31.8%2024/2023
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy25.9%14.1%2024/2023
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy55.6%67.4%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy49.9%63%2025
Income Inequality (Gini)Economy54.138.52022
Extreme Poverty RateEconomy17.4%45.5%2022
Account OwnershipEconomy81.1%90.1%2024
Youth NEET RateEconomy34.6%27.8%2024/2022
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy0.7%1%2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy60.9%37.5%2025
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy2.8%3.5%2025
Tourism ReceiptsEconomy$2.72B$1.76B2020/2019
Tourist ArrivalsEconomy3.89M2.05M2020/2019
Current Account BalanceEconomy-0.9%-4.1%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$2.47B$1.5B2024
FDI (% of GDP)Economy0.6%1.2%2024
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy27.2%17.5%2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy33%23.3%2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy60.1%16.7%2024/2022
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy51.736.92024
Natural Resource RentsEconomy7.3%1.2%2021
Oil Rents (% of GDP)Economy0.4%0%2021
Mineral Rents (% of GDP)Economy3.8%0%2021
Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%0%2021
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy0.4%2.5%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$24$472023
Lending Interest RateEconomy10.7%16.6%2025/2024
Real Interest RateEconomy7.7%13%2025/2024
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy12.9%15.6%2025/2024
Adjusted Net Income per CapitaEconomy$5,521$1,7902021
Employment in AgricultureEconomy5.4%45.8%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy20.8%12.5%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy73.8%41.7%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy11.7%63.8%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy65.8%76.9%2025
Income Share of Poorest 20%Economy3.7%7.1%2022
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy84.52024
ATMs per 100,000Economy466.42024
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy-0%2.6%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy5.7%4.8%2024
Poverty Rate ($3.65/day)Economy30.2%65.5%2022
Poverty Rate ($6.85/day)Economy59.6%90.1%2022
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$134.18B$21.43B2025
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$126.02B$29.58B2025
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.5530.662024
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.1450.2032024
Liner Shipping ConnectivityTrade39.116.52021
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade8.2%1.6%2025/2024
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade38.3%30.7%2025/2024
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade12.8%49.2%2025/2024
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade5.7%3.2%2024
Exports (% of GDP)Trade31.4%15.8%2025
Imports (% of GDP)Trade29.5%21.8%2025
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.7410.6282023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.3880.5262023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment0.4760.4562023
PopulationDemographics64.75M57.53M2025
Population GrowthDemographics1.1%1.9%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics66.3 years63.8 years2024
Median AgeDemographics28.9 years20.3 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics2.213.172024
Rural PopulationDemographics36.2%67.8%2025
Population Under 15Demographics25.7%36.3%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics63.8%32.2%2025
Population DensityDemographics53.6/km²101/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics17.826.62026
Death RateDemographics9.317.132026
Net Migration RateDemographics2.01-0.592026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics69.8 years66.1 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics62.8 years61.6 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics1.3%2.9%2025
Infant MortalityHealth24.234.22024
HIV PrevalenceHealth17.2%3%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health8.9%4.4%2023
Physicians per 1,000Health0.790.292022/2023
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth74572023
Road Traffic DeathsHealth24.528.22021
Premature NCD MortalityHealth22.7%18%2021
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth6.7%24.2%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth73.8%35.8%2024
Maternal MortalityHealth117.6378.82023
Under-Five MortalityHealth34.739.92023
Neonatal MortalityHealth11.721.52023
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth3892072024
Measles ImmunizationHealth66%80%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth65%88%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth22.2%—2024
Basic SanitationHealth3.6%5.1%2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth7.2%3.1%2024
Hospital Beds per 1,000Health2.251.332010/2019 ⚠
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth54.6%62.5%2016/2022 ⚠
Skilled Birth AttendanceHealth96.7%70.2%2016
Nurses & Midwives per 1,000Health6.392.272022/2023
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth51.854.52024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$537$852023
NCD Share of DeathsHealth37.2%37.8%2021
Smoking PrevalenceHealth23.7%9.6%2024
Antenatal Care CoverageHealth93.7%92.8%2016/2020
Child StuntingChild Welfare24.4%17.9%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare3.6%4.5%2017/2022 ⚠
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare88.6%76%2017/2022 ⚠
Child MarriageChild Welfare3.6%12.5%2016/2022 ⚠
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare11.8%3.4%2017/2022 ⚠
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education6%4%2024
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation23.5%10.4%2023/2024
Adult Literacy RateEducation91.2%82.2%2024/2000 ⚠
Youth Literacy RateEducation97.2%93.2%2024/2014 ⚠
Primary Completion RateEducation97.6%90.8%2024
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation92.5%86.6%2024
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation93.9%94.3%2023
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation90.4%95.6%2023/2006 ⚠
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation86.9%62.4%2023
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation62.2%65%2024
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation77.9%100%2002/2023 ⚠
Secondary EnrollmentEducation104.1%84.3%2023
UndernourishmentFood Security10%36.8%2023
Acute Food InsecurityFood Security—2.75M2026-06
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture79.4%49.5%2023
Food Production IndexAgriculture113.2112.42022
Cassava ProductionAgriculture—1.21M t2024
Coffee ProductionAgriculture—49.5K t2024
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture98K t243K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture6.33K t65.76K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture12.85M t4.02M t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture3.08K t282.15K t2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture1.92M t312.2K t2024
Maize YieldAgriculture4,874 kg/ha1,666 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture2,912 kg/ha6,553 kg/ha2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture3,809 kg/ha3,044 kg/ha2024
Cattle StockAgriculture12.1M head22.4M head2024
Homicide RateGovernance43.74.92022
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance41322024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.7430.5632025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.6330.4462025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.5380.5642025
Control of CorruptionGovernance-0.19-0.82024
Government EffectivenessGovernance-0.23-0.32024
Rule of LawGovernance0.02-0.462024
Political StabilityGovernance-0.62-1.362024
Regulatory QualityGovernance-0.06-0.332024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance0.61-0.352024
Refugees HostedHumanitarian55.18K617.13K2025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian002025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian82.36K218.65K2025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian09.8K2025
Internet UsersTechnology78.4%35%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology179.3126.52024
4G CoverageTechnology99.4%97.3%2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology5.332024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology1.3%4.1%2025
3G CoverageTechnology99.9%98%2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology3.4%12.3%2025
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology1.1%1.3%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology0.6%0.8%2022/2024
Electricity AccessInfrastructure90.2%77%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure15.45M5.14M2023
Slum PopulationInfrastructure24.2%40.5%2022
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy16.6K MW3K MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy11.3K MW551.1 MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy4.3K MW436.1 MW2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy751.7 MW892.7 MW2025
Renewable Energy ShareEnergy9.7%67.7%2021
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy89.8%31.6%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy3,247 kWh195 kWh2023/2024
Power Transmission LossesEnergy10.2%25.8%2023/2024
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy14.1 MW87.3 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy86.3%67.1%2024
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy8%4.6%2025
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy4.7%16.4%2025
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy0.8%20.9%2025
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy82.2%10%2025
Electricity DemandEnergy237 TWh16 TWh2025
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy699 gCO₂/kWh95 gCO₂/kWh2025
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy21,287 kWh1,608 kWh2024/2023
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate6.88 t0.38 t2024
Renewable Electricity OutputClimate6.4%78.1%2021
Forest AreaClimate14%6.2%2023
Protected AreasClimate12.9%11.8%2025
Freshwater WithdrawalsClimate47.1%19.5%2022
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate27.7 µg/m³20.3 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,KE" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"
South Africa profileKenya profileGet a free API key

Frequently asked questions

Does South Africa or Kenya have the larger economy?

South Africa has the larger economy: $479.96B for South Africa versus $147.27B for Kenya (GDP, current US$).

How do South Africa and Kenya compare across indicators?

This page compares South Africa and Kenya 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,KE with a free Africa API key to get both countries' latest values as JSON.

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