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

Health

live 2.6 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Nauru, that number is 68 years (64 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2022.

be 2.2 times more likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Nauru, that number is 61.0% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 17.8% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Nauru, that number is 23.0% as of 2011.

make 20.3% less money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in Nauru, the GDP per capita is $11,400 as of 2023.

Life

be 69.7% less 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 Nauru, on the other hand, 7.8 children do as of 2022.

have 14.1% more children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Nauru, there are 20.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 15.6% more 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 Nauru, that number is 100% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 16.7% more likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Nauru, about 84.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 39.5% more on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Nauru, that number is 12.0% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 98.9% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Nauru, that number is 30 km.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Nauru: At a glance

Nauru is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 21 sq km. The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific region. Germany annexed the island in 1888. A German-British consortium began mining the island's phosphate deposits early in the 20th century. Australian forces occupied Nauru in World War I; it subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.
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How big is Nauru compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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