Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Botswana instead of Bulgaria, you would:

Health

be 24.4% less likely to be obese

In Bulgaria, 25.0% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

be 199.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Bulgaria, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2019. In Botswana, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2020.

live 9.9 years less

In Bulgaria, the average life expectancy is 76 years (72 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 29.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Bulgaria, 22.9% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

make 42.6% less money

Bulgaria has a GDP per capita of $27,000 as of 2022, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $15,500 as of 2022.

be 5.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In Bulgaria, 4.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 23.6% as of 2022.

pay a 2.5 times higher top tax rate

Bulgaria has a top tax rate of 10.0% as of 2016. In Botswana, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

Life

have 2.5 times more children

In Bulgaria, there are approximately 7.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Botswana, there are 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 26.6 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Bulgaria, approximately 7.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 10.1% less likely to be literate

In Bulgaria, the literacy rate is 98.4% as of 2021. In Botswana, it is 88.5% as of 2015.

be 3.2 times more likely to die during infancy

In Bulgaria, approximately 8.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Botswana, on the other hand, 25.2 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 26.2% less likely to have access to electricity

In Bulgaria, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2021. In Botswana, that number is 74% of people on average (93% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 27.1% less on healthcare

Bulgaria spends 8.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 6.2% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 2.2 times more on education

Bulgaria spends 4.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Botswana spends 8.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, National Revenue Agency, Bulgaria, Botswana Unified Revenue Service.

Botswana: At a glance

Botswana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 566,730 sq km. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Read more

How big is Botswana compared to Bulgaria? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Botswana.or Bulgaria It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.