Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Gabon instead of Belgium, you would:

Health

be 32.1% less likely to be obese

In Belgium, 22.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Gabon, that number is 15.0% of people as of 2016.

live 12.2 years less

In Belgium, the average life expectancy is 82 years (79 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022. In Gabon, that number is 70 years (68 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

pay a 34.8% lower top tax rate

Belgium has a top tax rate of 53.7% as of 2016. In Gabon, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

make 68.9% less money

Belgium has a GDP per capita of $63,600 as of 2023, while in Gabon, the GDP per capita is $19,800 as of 2023.

be 3.7 times more likely to be unemployed

In Belgium, 5.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Gabon, that number is 20.4% as of 2023.

be 2.7 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Belgium, 12.3% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Gabon, however, that number is 33.4% as of 2017.

Life

have 2.4 times more children

In Belgium, there are approximately 10.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Gabon, there are 25.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 45.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Belgium, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Gabon, 227.0 women do as of 2020.

be 9.0 times more likely to die during infancy

In Belgium, approximately 3.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Gabon, on the other hand, 28.6 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 20.9% less likely to have internet access

In Belgium, approximately 91.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Gabon, about 72.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 52.2% less on education

Belgium spends 6.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Gabon spends 3.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 69.4% less on healthcare

Belgium spends 11.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Gabon, that number is 3.4% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 13.3 times more coastline

Belgium has a total of 66 km of coastline. In Gabon, that number is 885 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, General Direction of Taxes.

Gabon: At a glance

Gabon is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 257,667 sq km. El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009) following independence from France in 1960. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in December 2002 and the presidential elections in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, new elections brought Ali BONGO Ondimba, son of the former president, to power. Despite constrained political conditions, Gabon's small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make it one of the more stable African countries.
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How big is Gabon compared to Belgium? See an in-depth size comparison.

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