Algeria vs South Africa: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required
Algeria
10.8%
in 2022
South Africa
11.5%
in 2022
Algeria rank
70th
South Africa rank
67th
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required over time
- Algeria
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 11.5% against 10.8% in Algeria, a difference of 0.7%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Algeria's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 15 shared years of data; in 2008 it was Algeria ahead.
Algeria ranks 70th and South Africa ranks 67th of 134 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Algeria averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Algeria | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.1% | 12.9% | 0.8% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 14.2% | 11.3% | 3.0% | Algeria |
| 2020s | 14.5% | 11.7% | 2.8% | Algeria |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required, Algeria or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 11.5% against 10.8% in Algeria as of 2022.
- What is the difference in share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required between Algeria and South Africa?
- 0.7%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Algeria and South Africa?
- 15 years are reported by both, from 2008 to 2022.
- How do Algeria and South Africa rank globally for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
- Algeria ranks 70th and South Africa ranks 67th of 134 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.