Ethiopia vs South Africa
Ethiopia vs South Africa: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 4.3 years in Ethiopia and 5.6 years in South Africa, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Africa, by 1.3 years, or 1.29 times that in Ethiopia.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2017.
- In 2020, Ethiopia ranked 161 and South Africa ranked 138 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Ethiopia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4.3 | 5.6 |
| 2018 | 4.5 | 5.6 |
| 2017 | 4.5 | 5.1 |
| 2010 | – | 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
Ethiopia vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyEthiopia: 67.3 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityEthiopia: 4.5 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityEthiopia: 33 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionEthiopia: 3.82% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateEthiopia: 9.6 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationEthiopia: 129 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthEthiopia: 2.59% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateEthiopia: 3.99 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationEthiopia: 24.1% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageEthiopia: 18.7 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overEthiopia: 3.2% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateEthiopia: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingEthiopia: 0.49% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsEthiopia: $785M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personEthiopia: $4 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingEthiopia: 4.1% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelEthiopia: 138,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerEthiopia: 0.85% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersEthiopia: 0.28% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsEthiopia: 63 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsEthiopia: 17 million TIV in 1997South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025