If you lived in Guinea instead of South Africa, you would:

Health

be 92.7% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Guinea, that number is 1.4% of people as of 2020.

be 72.8% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Guinea, that number is 7.7% of people as of 2016.

live 1.4 years less

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Guinea, that number is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 81.1% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Guinea, that number is 5.3% as of 2023.

pay a 11.1% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Guinea, the top tax rate is 40.0% as of 2016.

make 72.0% less money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in Guinea, the GDP per capita is $4,000 as of 2023.

be 2.6 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Guinea, however, that number is 43.7% as of 2018.

Life

have 99.4% more children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Guinea, there are 35.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 4.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Guinea, 553.0 women do as of 2020.

be 52.3% less likely to be literate

In South Africa, the literacy rate is 95.0% as of 2019. In Guinea, it is 45.3% as of 2021.

be 91.8% more likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Guinea, on the other hand, 49.6 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 44.9% less likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 86% of people have electricity access (87% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Guinea, that number is 48% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 21% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 51.4% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Guinea, about 35.0% do as of 2021.

be 11.9% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In South Africa, approximately 97% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 90% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Guinea, that number is 85% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 77% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 66.7% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Guinea spends 2.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 53.5% less on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Guinea, that number is 4.0% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 88.6% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Guinea, that number is 320 km.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Economy and Finance, South African Revenue Service.

Guinea: At a glance

Guinea is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 245,717 sq km. Guinea is at a turning point after decades of authoritarian rule since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Guinea held its first free and competitive democratic presidential and legislative elections in 2010 and 2013 respectively. Alpha CONDE was elected to a five year term as president in 2010, and the National Assembly was seated in January 2014. CONDE's cabinet is the first all-civilian government in Guinea. Previously, Sekou TOURE ruled the country as president from independence to his death in 1984. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the military seized the government after TOURE's death. Gen. CONTE organized and won presidential elections in 1993, 1998, and 2003, though all the polls were rigged. Upon CONTE's death in December 2008, Capt. Moussa Dadis CAMARA led a military coup, seizing power and suspending the constitution. His unwillingness to yield to domestic and international pressure to step down led to heightened political tensions that culminated in September 2009 when presidential guards opened fire on an opposition rally killing more than 150 people, and in early December 2009 when CAMARA was wounded in an assassination attempt and exiled to Burkina Faso. A transitional government led by Gen. Sekouba KONATE paved the way for Guinea's transition to a fledgling democracy.
Read more

How big is Guinea compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Guinea.or South Africa It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.