Ethiopia vs South Africa
Every indicator for Ethiopia and South Africa side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | Ethiopia | South Africa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 135,472,051 | 64,747,319 | +109.2% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 126 | 427 | −70.5% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 933 | 6,598 | −85.9% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 67.6 | 66.3 | — |
| Area (km²) | 1,136,240 | 1,219,090 | −6.8% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 119 | 53 | +124.5% |
| Median age (years) | 19.0 | 28.0 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 21.9 | 78.4 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 3.3 | 32.4 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 13.2 | 3.2 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 24.1 | 63.8 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 922 | 2,836 | −67.5% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 0.65 | 0.70 | −7.1% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 6.91 | 2.11 | +227.5% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 7 | 44 | −84.5% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 138,000 | 89,000 | +55.1% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 1.0 | 1.4 | −25.9% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 0.28 | 0.40 | −30.0% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of Ethiopia relative to South Africa; a positive value favors Ethiopia. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
Key differences
- On population (2025), Ethiopia is 109.2% higher than South Africa.
- On gdp (nominal), Ethiopia is 70.5% lower than South Africa.
- On gdp per capita, Ethiopia is 85.9% lower than South Africa.
EthiopiaSouth Africa
The indicators use different scales, so the chart is a rough visual comparison only; use the table for exact figures.
Related comparisons
Other comparisons involving Ethiopia or South Africa.
Ethiopia profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
South Africa profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI