Rwanda vs South Africa
Rwanda vs South Africa: Net migration rate
Net migration rate in 2023: -0.6 per 1,000 people in Rwanda and 3.6 per 1,000 people in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Africa, by 4.3 per 1,000 people.
per 1,000 people · UN
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 2017, when it overtook Rwanda.
- In 2023, Rwanda ranked 143 and South Africa ranked 51 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Rwanda at -0.7 per 1,000 people and South Africa at 2.1 per 1,000 people in 2100.
Every year
per 1,000 people · UN
| Year | Rwanda | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -0.6 | 3.6 |
| 2022 | -0.7 | 3.7 |
| 2021 | -1.6 | 7.5 |
| 2020 | -1.7 | 6.1 |
| 2019 | -1.9 | 5.6 |
| 2018 | -2 | 5.4 |
| 2017 | -2.1 | 6 |
| 2016 | -2.1 | -15.4 |
| 2015 | -1.9 | 11.3 |
| 2014 | -1.7 | 4.9 |
| 2013 | -1.5 | 4.2 |
| 2012 | -2.3 | 4.9 |
| 2011 | -2.6 | 1.2 |
| 2010 | -2.9 | 1.3 |
| 2009 | -3 | 0.8 |
| 2008 | -3.3 | 0.7 |
| 2007 | -3.4 | 0.7 |
| 2006 | -3.7 | 0.7 |
| 2005 | -3.7 | 0.6 |
| 2004 | -3.5 | 1.2 |
| 2003 | -3 | 1.4 |
| 2002 | -10.9 | 1 |
| 2001 | -18.4 | -1.3 |
| 2000 | -18.7 | -2.9 |
| 1999 | -17.9 | -2.7 |
| 1998 | -16 | -1.8 |
| 1997 | 52.9 | -2.2 |
| 1996 | 203.9 | -4.3 |
| 1995 | 77.5 | -2.2 |
| 1994 | -305.9 | -6.1 |
| 1993 | 29.6 | 4.5 |
| 1992 | -1.6 | -1.7 |
| 1991 | -7.9 | -0.9 |
| 1990 | -5.6 | 6.4 |
| 1989 | -0.4 | 6.5 |
| 1988 | -0.8 | 6.4 |
| 1987 | -1 | 6.2 |
| 1986 | -1.4 | 6.5 |
| 1985 | -1.7 | 7 |
| 1984 | -2.1 | 8.6 |
| 1983 | -2.5 | 9.5 |
| 1982 | -2.8 | 9.3 |
| 1981 | -3 | 9.2 |
| 1980 | -3.1 | 8.7 |
| 1979 | -3 | 2 |
| 1978 | -2.7 | 2.2 |
| 1977 | -2.3 | 2.4 |
| 1976 | -1.5 | 1 |
| 1975 | -1 | 1.5 |
| 1974 | -1 | 1.5 |
| 1973 | -0.9 | 1.7 |
| 1972 | -1 | 1.6 |
| 1971 | -1 | 1.4 |
| 1970 | 0.3 | 2.8 |
| 1969 | 0.8 | 3.4 |
| 1968 | 1.3 | 3.8 |
| 1967 | 1.3 | 4 |
| 1966 | -0.5 | 3.9 |
| 1965 | -2.9 | 4.3 |
| 1964 | -5.8 | 4.1 |
| 1963 | -7.8 | 4.1 |
| 1962 | -8 | 4 |
| 1961 | -6.6 | 3.4 |
| 1960 | -4.4 | 1.1 |
| 1959 | -2.1 | 0.3 |
| 1958 | -1.4 | -0.9 |
| 1957 | -0.4 | -0.2 |
| 1956 | -0.3 | -0.1 |
| 1955 | -0.3 | -0.2 |
| 1954 | -0.3 | -0.2 |
| 1953 | -0.4 | -0.4 |
| 1952 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| 1951 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
| 1950 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Rwanda | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -1.1-95.5–75 | 2.6-5.3–9.8 |
| 2025 | 0.4-96.5–80.9 | 2.3-5.9–10.1 |
| 2026 | -0.5-101.6–79 | 2-6.3–9.5 |
| 2027 | 0.5-92.1–78.8 | 2.2-5.5–10.2 |
| 2028 | -1.1-90.5–79.1 | 2.3-5.9–10.5 |
| 2029 | -1.5-98.5–79.1 | 2.3-6.3–10.1 |
| 2030 | -1-96.3–78 | 2.1-5.9–10.6 |
| 2031 | -0.6-94.7–83.1 | 2.2-5.9–10.6 |
| 2032 | -3.6-99.9–80.3 | 2.2-6.3–10.3 |
| 2033 | -0.4-97.6–81.3 | 2.1-6–10.1 |
| 2034 | -0.4-90.6–80.8 | 2.2-6.5–10.3 |
| 2035 | 1.2-93.3–83.5 | 2.3-6.1–10.4 |
| 2036 | -2.2-89.6–79.7 | 2.2-6.2–9.6 |
| 2037 | -0.3-92.7–82.3 | 2.3-6–9.9 |
| 2038 | -0.6-96–82 | 2.1-5.8–10.1 |
| 2039 | 1.1-98.7–82.8 | 2-6.4–10.2 |
| 2040 | 1.2-91.7–79.4 | 2.1-6.3–10.2 |
| 2041 | 1-96.6–83.6 | 2.2-6.5–10.5 |
| 2042 | -0.7-100–85.4 | 2.2-6.4–10.9 |
| 2043 | 1-95.2–84.2 | 2.1-6–10.5 |
| 2044 | -1.6-100.7–78.3 | 2.1-6–10.4 |
| 2045 | -0.8-95.2–81.2 | 2.1-7–10.3 |
| 2046 | -2.2-99.2–80.3 | 2.3-5.5–10.9 |
| 2047 | -0.7-95.5–83.9 | 2.3-6.2–10.6 |
| 2048 | -0.4-97.9–80.5 | 2.1-5.9–10.4 |
| 2049 | -0.8-97.9–82.5 | 2.3-5.7–10.5 |
| 2050 | -1.4-98.4–85 | 2.3-6.2–11.1 |
| 2051 | -0.9-96.6–80.1 | 2.5-5.5–10.9 |
| 2052 | -1.7-93.4–81.3 | 2.2-5.9–10.8 |
| 2053 | -1.4-94.6–80.2 | 2.2-6.4–10.3 |
| 2054 | -1.1-94.7–84.3 | 2.3-6.1–10.2 |
| 2055 | -0.5-93.5–85.6 | 2.3-6.2–10.5 |
| 2056 | -1.6-99.2–83.8 | 2.2-5.9–10.1 |
| 2057 | -1.5-97.4–82 | 2.3-6.6–10.3 |
| 2058 | 1.1-98.7–86.3 | 2.4-6.3–11.1 |
| 2059 | -1-99.9–82.4 | 2.3-6.6–11 |
| 2060 | -1-96.5–76.6 | 2.3-5.8–10.3 |
| 2061 | 0.6-93.6–85.3 | 2.2-6.5–10.5 |
| 2062 | -1.7-106.8–81.8 | 2.3-6.2–10.3 |
| 2063 | -0.3-105–80.1 | 2.4-6.5–10.8 |
| 2064 | -0.7-101.5–80.2 | 2.3-6.5–10.6 |
| 2065 | -0.3-102.1–89.4 | 2.1-6.6–10.5 |
| 2066 | -1.4-101.4–85.9 | 2.2-6.1–10.5 |
| 2067 | -0.3-100.6–89.3 | 2.2-6.2–10.3 |
| 2068 | -0.7-107.4–84.2 | 2.1-6–10.4 |
| 2069 | -1.8-99.5–83.3 | 2.2-6.5–10.4 |
| 2070 | -0.5-105.8–84.3 | 2.5-5.9–11.1 |
| 2071 | -1.2-98.9–84 | 2.5-5.8–10.5 |
| 2072 | -0.7-104.6–86.2 | 2.1-6.6–10 |
| 2073 | -0.9-108.1–80.8 | 2.1-5.9–10 |
| 2074 | -1.3-101.6–84.1 | 2.2-6.9–11.1 |
| 2075 | -1-107.7–83.4 | 2.1-5.9–10.5 |
| 2076 | -1.8-104.9–79.2 | 2-6.7–9.9 |
| 2077 | -0.8-104.4–84.5 | 2.2-6.4–10.5 |
| 2078 | -1.2-103.5–84.4 | 2.3-5.9–10.5 |
| 2079 | -0.6-113.3–79.7 | 2.2-6.5–11 |
| 2080 | -0.4-102.9–88.2 | 2.3-6.8–10.5 |
| 2081 | -0.7-109.7–85.3 | 2.2-6.1–10.6 |
| 2082 | -0.3-104–90.5 | 2.2-6.4–10.3 |
| 2083 | -0.3-114.8–85.9 | 2.2-6.2–10.3 |
| 2084 | -1.2-109.9–87.3 | 2-6.5–10.6 |
| 2085 | -0.9-117.6–87.6 | 1.9-6.8–9.6 |
| 2086 | -0.4-106.1–91.2 | 2.1-6.3–10.8 |
| 2087 | 1-110.8–89.6 | 2.1-6.5–10.4 |
| 2088 | -0.4-116.9–86.5 | 2.1-6.6–9.9 |
| 2089 | 1.4-120.7–92 | 2.1-6.6–10.5 |
| 2090 | -1.4-122.1–86 | 2-7.1–10.2 |
| 2091 | -1.2-117.7–85.7 | 2.2-6.4–10.8 |
| 2092 | -0.4-112.8–92 | 2-6.9–10.4 |
| 2093 | 0.1-110.9–101.8 | 2-7.9–10.4 |
| 2094 | -1.3-118–92.4 | 2-7.1–10.4 |
| 2095 | 0.4-118.1–93.9 | 1.9-6.5–10.1 |
| 2096 | -0.9-106.2–92.8 | 1.8-6.6–10.1 |
| 2097 | -1.1-109.2–93.6 | 1.8-7.4–10.4 |
| 2098 | -0.7-115.3–101.3 | 2-6.5–10.1 |
| 2099 | 0.2-122.7–99.4 | 2-5.7–11 |
| 2100 | -0.7-123.8–90 | 2.1-6.2–10.8 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- People moving in minus people moving out in a year, per 1,000 residents; below zero, more left than arrived.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
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
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