Rwanda vs South Africa
Rwanda vs South Africa: Internet users
Internet users in 2024: 31.7% in Rwanda and 78.4% in South Africa, by ITU estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in South Africa, by 46.7 percentage points, or 2.47 times that in Rwanda.
% of people · ITU
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 1996.
- In 2024, Rwanda ranked 163 and South Africa ranked 102 of 182 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 71.2% in 2024.
Every year
% of people · ITU
| Year | Rwanda | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | – | – | 73.6 |
| 2024 | 31.7 | 78.4 | 71.2 |
| 2023 | 28.8 | 78.3 | 69.2 |
| 2022 | 28 | 78.3 | 67 |
| 2021 | 24.4 | 75 | 63.8 |
| 2020 | 23.8 | 72.1 | 60.1 |
| 2019 | 21.4 | 69.7 | 53.9 |
| 2018 | 19.2 | 62.4 | 49.4 |
| 2017 | 17.2 | 56.2 | 46.3 |
| 2016 | 14.6 | 54 | 43.6 |
| 2015 | 12.5 | 51.9 | 39.9 |
| 2014 | 10.6 | 49 | 37.4 |
| 2013 | 9 | 46.5 | 35.3 |
| 2012 | 8 | 41 | 33.3 |
| 2011 | 7 | 34 | 30.9 |
| 2010 | 8 | 24 | 28.4 |
| 2009 | 7.7 | 10 | 25.3 |
| 2008 | 4.5 | 8.4 | 22.8 |
| 2007 | 2.1 | 8.1 | 20.2 |
| 2006 | – | 7.6 | 17.2 |
| 2005 | 0.6 | 7.5 | 15.6 |
| 2004 | 0.4 | 8.4 | – |
| 2003 | 0.4 | 7 | – |
| 2002 | 0.3 | 6.7 | – |
| 2001 | 0.2 | 6.3 | – |
| 2000 | 0.1 | 5.3 | – |
| 1999 | 0.1 | 4.1 | – |
| 1998 | 0 | 2.9 | – |
| 1997 | 0 | 1.6 | – |
| 1996 | 0 | 0.8 | – |
| 1995 | – | 0.7 | – |
| 1994 | – | 0.2 | – |
| 1993 | – | 0.1 | – |
| 1992 | – | 0 | – |
| 1991 | – | 0 | – |
| 1990 | 0 | 0 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people who used the internet in the last three months, from anywhere.
- Source: ITU, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 182 countries with a value in 2024, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Rwanda vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyRwanda: 67.8 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityRwanda: 3.8 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityRwanda: 27.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionRwanda: 3.87% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateRwanda: 11 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationRwanda: 14 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthRwanda: 2.18% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateRwanda: 3.7 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationRwanda: 30.9% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageRwanda: 19.4 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overRwanda: 3.8% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateRwanda: -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingRwanda: 1.29% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsRwanda: $194M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personRwanda: $13 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingRwanda: 4.7% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelRwanda: 35,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerRwanda: 0.07% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersRwanda: 0.7% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsRwanda: 37 million TIV in 2023South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025