Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 99.5% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Somalia, that number is 0.1% of people as of 2020.

be 70.7% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Somalia, that number is 8.3% of people as of 2016.

live 9.6 years less

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Somalia, that number is 56 years (53 years for men, 58 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 33.1% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Somalia, that number is 19.3% as of 2022.

make 89.6% less money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $13,500 as of 2022, while in Somalia, the GDP per capita is $1,400 as of 2022.

be 3.3 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Somalia, however, that number is 54.4% as of 2022.

Life

have 2.1 times more children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Somalia, there are 37.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 4.9 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 Somalia, 621.0 women do as of 2020.

be 3.3 times 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 Somalia, on the other hand, 86.5 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 44.8% less likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 89% of people have electricity access (87% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2021. In Somalia, that number is 49% of people on average (71% in urban areas, and 31% in rural areas) as of 2021.

be 79.9% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Somalia, about 14.5% do as of 2021.

be 12.9% 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 Somalia, that number is 84% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 95.5% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Somalia spends 0.3% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

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

Somalia: At a glance

Somalia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 627,337 sq km. Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule characterized by the persecution, jailing, and torture of political opponents and dissidents. After the regime's collapse early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence and continues efforts to establish a constitutional democracy, including holding municipal, parliamentary, and presidential elections. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring semi-autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998 but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. In 2000, the Somalia National Peace Conference (SNPC) held in Djibouti resulted in the formation of an interim government, known as the Transitional National Government (TNG). When the TNG failed to establish adequate security or governing institutions, the Government of Kenya, under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), led a subsequent peace process that concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of a second interim government, known as the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of the Somali Republic. The TFG included a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP). President YUSUF resigned late in 2008 while United Nations-sponsored talks between the TFG and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were underway in Djibouti. In January 2009, following the creation of a TFG-ARS unity government, Ethiopian military forces, which had entered Somalia in December 2006 to support the TFG in the face of advances by the opposition Islamic Courts Union (ICU), withdrew from the country. The TFP was doubled in size to 550 seats with the addition of 200 ARS and 75 civil society members of parliament. The expanded parliament elected Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed, the former ICU and ARS chairman as president in January 2009. The creation of the TFG was based on the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC), which outlined a five-year mandate leading to the establishment of a new Somali constitution and a transition to a representative government following national elections. In 2009, the TFP amended the TFC to extend TFG's mandate until 2011 and in 2011 Somali principals agreed to institute political transition by August 2012. The transition process ended in September 2012 when clan elders replaced the TFP by appointing 275 members to a new parliament who subsequently elected a new president.
Read more

How big is Somalia 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 Somalia.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.