If you lived in South Africa instead of Micronesia, Federated States of, you would:

Health

be 34.7% less likely to be obese

In Micronesia, Federated States of, 48.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In South Africa, that number is 31.8% of people as of 2024.

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see 2.8 times more spent on your healthcare

Micronesia, Federated States of spends $482 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). South Africa spends $1,354 as of 2023.

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have 47.9% more access to essential health services

Micronesia, Federated States of scores 48 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. South Africa scores 71 as of 2021.

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live 1.0 years less

In Micronesia, Federated States of, the average life expectancy is 67 years (64 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In South Africa, that number is 66 years (63 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 18.5% fewer doctors per person

Micronesia, Federated States of has 9.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2020. South Africa has 7.9 as of 2022.

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be 12.9% more likely to die by suicide

Micronesia, Federated States of has a suicide rate of 19.8 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In South Africa, it is 22.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 49.5% more money

Micronesia, Federated States of has a GDP per capita of $4,414 as of 2025, while in South Africa, the GDP per capita is $6,598 as of 2025.

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Life

be 19.2% more likely to die during infancy

In Micronesia, Federated States of, approximately 20.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In South Africa, on the other hand, 24.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 17.2% fewer children

In Micronesia, Federated States of, there are approximately 22.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In South Africa, there are 18.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 98.3% more likely to have internet access

In Micronesia, Federated States of, approximately 39.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In South Africa, about 78.4% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 30.8% less on healthcare

Micronesia, Federated States of spends 12.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In South Africa, that number is 8.9% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 54.2% less coastline

Micronesia, Federated States of has a total of 6,112 km of coastline. In South Africa, that number is 2,798 km.

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Safety

be 48.0 times more likely to be murdered

Micronesia, Federated States of has a homicide rate of 0.9 per 100,000 people as of 2019. In South Africa, that number is 43.7 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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be 73.8% more likely to die in a road accident

In Micronesia, Federated States of, road accidents kill 14.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In South Africa, they kill 24.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Environment

be 13.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Micronesia, Federated States of, air pollution causes 54.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In South Africa, it causes 47.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

South Africa: At a glance

South Africa (sometimes abbreviated RSA) is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 1,214,470 sq km. Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of modern day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the Far East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments but were defeated in the Second Anglo Boer War (1899-1902); however, the British and the Afrikaners, as the Boers became known, ruled together beginning in 1910 under the Union of South Africa, which became a republic in 1961 after a whites-only referendum. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races - which favored the white minority at the expense of the black majority. The African National Congress (ANC) led the opposition to apartheid and many top ANC leaders, such as Nelson MANDELA, spent decades in South Africa's prisons. Internal protests and insurgency, as well as boycotts by some Western nations and institutions, led to the regime's eventual willingness to negotiate a peaceful transition to majority rule. The first multi-racial elections in 1994 brought an end to apartheid and ushered in majority rule under an ANC-led government. South Africa since then has struggled to address apartheid-era imbalances in decent housing, education, and health care. ANC infighting, which has grown in recent years, came to a head in September 2008 when President Thabo MBEKI resigned, and Kgalema MOTLANTHE, the party's General-Secretary, succeeded him as interim president. Jacob ZUMA became president after the ANC won general elections in April 2009. National presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 2014.
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