Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in France instead of South Africa, you would:

Health

be 98.4% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In France, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2019.

live 17.3 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In France, that number is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

be 23.7% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In France, that number is 21.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 3.4 times more money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $13,500 as of 2022, while in France, the GDP per capita is $45,900 as of 2022.

be 74.7% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In France, that number is 7.3% as of 2022.

pay a 11.6% higher top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In France, the top tax rate is 50.2% as of 2016.

Life

be 93.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In France, 8.0 women do as of 2020.

be 87.8% less likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In France, on the other hand, 3.1 children do as of 2022.

have 38.4% fewer children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In France, there are 10.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 12.0% more likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 89% of the population has electricity access as of 2021. In France, 100% of the population do as of 2021.

be 19.4% more likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In France, about 86.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 16.7% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. France spends 5.5% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 41.9% more on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In France, that number is 12.2% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 73.4% more coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In France, that number is 4,853 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, South African Revenue Service.

France: At a glance

France is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 549,970 sq km. France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-8, the G-20, the EU and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to take French forces out of NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion - became French regions and were made part of France proper.
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How big is France compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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