Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Russia instead of Afghanistan, you would:

Health

live 18.8 years longer

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 54 years (52 years for men, 55 years for women) as of 2022. In Russia, that number is 72 years (67 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

be 12.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Afghanistan, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Russia, that number is 1.2% of people as of 2017.

be 4.2 times more likely to be obese

In Afghanistan, 5.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Russia, that number is 23.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 19.9 times more money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $2,000 as of 2022, while in Russia, the GDP per capita is $39,800 as of 2023.

be 76.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 14.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Russia, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.

be 79.8% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Afghanistan, 54.5% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Russia, however, that number is 11.0% as of 2021.

pay a 35.0% lower top tax rate

Afghanistan has a top tax rate of 20.0% as of 2016. In Russia, the top tax rate is 13.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 97.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Afghanistan, approximately 620.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Russia, 14.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.7 times more likely to be literate

In Afghanistan, the literacy rate is 37.3% as of 2021. In Russia, it is 99.7% as of 2018.

be 93.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 104.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Russia, on the other hand, 6.4 children do as of 2022.

have 75.4% fewer children

In Afghanistan, there are approximately 34.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Russia, there are 8.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 17.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Afghanistan, approximately 85% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Russia, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 4.9 times more likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 18.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Russia, about 88.0% do as of 2021.

be 27.6% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Afghanistan, approximately 76% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 68% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Russia, that number is 98% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 93% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 51.0% less on healthcare

Afghanistan spends 15.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Russia, that number is 7.6% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 27.6% more on education

Afghanistan spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Russia spends 3.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Federal Tax Service of Russia, The World Factbook, Afghanistan Revenue Department.

Russia: At a glance

Russia is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 16,377,742 sq km. Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new ROMANOV Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent republics. Since then, Russia has shifted its post-Soviet democratic ambitions in favor of a centralized semi-authoritarian state in which the leadership seeks to legitimize its rule through managed national elections, populist appeals by President PUTIN, and continued economic growth. Russia has severely disabled a Chechen rebel movement, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus.
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How big is Russia compared to Afghanistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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