Ghana vs South Africa
Ghana vs South Africa: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 6 years in Ghana and 5.6 years in South Africa, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Ghana, by 0.4 years, or 1.06 times that in South Africa.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- Ghana has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2017.
- In 2020, Ghana ranked 134 and South Africa ranked 138 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Ghana | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6 | 5.6 |
| 2018 | 5.8 | 5.6 |
| 2017 | 5.7 | 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
Ghana vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyGhana: 65.5 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityGhana: 3.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityGhana: 30.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionGhana: 3.4% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateGhana: 9.7 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationGhana: 33.8 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthGhana: 1.9% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateGhana: 3.4 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationGhana: 58.9% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageGhana: 20.9 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overGhana: 3.6% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateGhana: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingGhana: 0.48% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsGhana: $385M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personGhana: $15 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingGhana: 2.4% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelGhana: 16,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerGhana: 0.17% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersGhana: 0.13% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsGhana: 5 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsGhana: 19 million TIV in 2005South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025