Brazil vs South Africa
Brazil vs South Africa: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 7.9 years in Brazil and 5.6 years in South Africa, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Brazil, by 2.3 years, or 1.41 times that in South Africa.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- Brazil has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2010.
- In 2020, Brazil ranked 88 and South Africa ranked 138 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Brazil | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 7.9 | 5.6 |
| 2018 | 7.8 | 5.6 |
| 2017 | 7.6 | 5.1 |
| 2010 | 7.6 | 6.2 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The years of school a child can expect by 18, cut to what students actually learn: the World Bank’s learning-adjusted years of school.
- Source: World Bank Human Capital Index, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 174 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Brazil vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyBrazil: 75.9 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBrazil: 1.4 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBrazil: 12.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionBrazil: 3.3% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateBrazil: 6.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBrazil: 211 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthBrazil: 0.41% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBrazil: 1.62 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBrazil: 88.2% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageBrazil: 33.9 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBrazil: 10.6% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateBrazil: -1.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBrazil: 1.05% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBrazil: $23.6B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personBrazil: $113 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBrazil: 2.2% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBrazil: 762,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerBrazil: 2.01% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBrazil: 0.76% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBrazil: 462 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBrazil: 153 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025