Iceland vs South Africa: Total healthcare spending as a share of GDP

Iceland
8.7%
in 2023
South Africa
8.9%
in 2023
Iceland rank
50th
South Africa rank
47th

Total healthcare spending as a share of GDP over time

  • Iceland
  • South Africa
0246810200020112023

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 8.9% against 8.7% in Iceland, a difference of 0.2%.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 24 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Iceland ahead.

Iceland ranks 50th and South Africa ranks 47th of 195 countries.

Iceland has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Iceland South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 8.9% 7.1% 1.9% Iceland
2010s 8.3% 8.0% 0.3% Iceland
2020s 9.3% 8.8% 0.5% Iceland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher total healthcare spending as a share of gdp, Iceland or South Africa?
South Africa, at 8.9% against 8.7% in Iceland as of 2023.
What is the difference in total healthcare spending as a share of gdp between Iceland and South Africa?
0.2%, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and South Africa?
24 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do Iceland and South Africa rank globally for total healthcare spending as a share of gdp?
Iceland ranks 50th and South Africa ranks 47th of 195 countries.
Where does this data come from?
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Total healthcare spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Iceland vs South Africa: Total healthcare spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/total-healthcare-expenditure-gdp/iceland/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Total healthcare spending as a share of GDP
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
195 places, 4,588 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

Total healthcare expenditure as the share of national gross domestic product (GDP).