Madagascar vs South Africa
Madagascar vs South Africa: Government debt
Government debt: 47.8% of GDP in Madagascar in 2025 and 76% of GDP in South Africa in 2024, by IMF estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in South Africa, by 26.2 percentage points, or 1.53 times that in Madagascar.
% of GDP · IMF
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 2011, when it overtook Madagascar.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Madagascar at 49.7% of GDP and South Africa at 79.8% of GDP in 2031.
Every year
% of GDP · IMF
| Year | Madagascar | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47.8 | 78.4 |
| 2024 | 49.8 | 76 |
| 2023 | 52.2 | 73.2 |
| 2022 | 49.8 | 70.7 |
| 2021 | 49.4 | 68.8 |
| 2020 | 52.9 | 68.9 |
| 2019 | 41.3 | 56.1 |
| 2018 | 42.9 | 51.5 |
| 2017 | 40.1 | 48.6 |
| 2016 | 40.3 | 47.1 |
| 2015 | 44.1 | 45.2 |
| 2014 | 37.9 | 43.3 |
| 2013 | 36.2 | 40.4 |
| 2012 | 30.4 | 37.4 |
| 2011 | 30 | 34.7 |
| 2010 | 32.3 | 31.2 |
| 2009 | 34.9 | 27 |
| 2008 | 31 | 24.1 |
| 2007 | 28.2 | 24.3 |
| 2006 | 32.2 | 28 |
| 2005 | 74.4 | 29.6 |
| 2004 | 81.9 | 30.7 |
| 2003 | 85.9 | 31.5 |
| 2002 | 86.7 | 31.8 |
| 2001 | 82.1 | 38.1 |
| 2000 | 90.2 | 37.9 |
| 1999 | 104.1 | – |
| 1998 | 108.5 | – |
| 1997 | 89.7 | – |
| 1996 | 98.7 | – |
| 1995 | 95.8 | – |
| 1994 | 96 | – |
| 1993 | 105.2 | – |
| 1992 | 110.9 | – |
| 1991 | 113.8 | – |
| 1990 | 92.7 | – |
- 12.3Projected
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | Madagascar | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 49.8 | 78 |
| 2027 | 50.6 | 78.1 |
| 2028 | 50.9 | 78.8 |
| 2029 | 50.9 | 79.5 |
| 2030 | 49.9 | 79.7 |
| 2031 | 49.7 | 79.8 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the government owes, as a share of the economy’s yearly output.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 149 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Madagascar vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyMadagascar: 63.6 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMadagascar: 6.2 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMadagascar: 45 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMadagascar: 3.71% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateMadagascar: 11 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMadagascar: 31.2 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthMadagascar: 2.45% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMadagascar: 3.97 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMadagascar: 32.9% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageMadagascar: 18.9 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMadagascar: 3.3% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateMadagascar: -0 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMadagascar: 0.62% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMadagascar: $111M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personMadagascar: $4 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMadagascar: 3.8% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMadagascar: 22,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerMadagascar: 0.11% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMadagascar: 0.15% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMadagascar: 3 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025