Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 35.7% less likely to be obese

In Canada, 29.4% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

live 18.2 years less

In Canada, the average life expectancy is 84 years (82 years for men, 86 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

pay a 24.2% lower top tax rate

Canada has a top tax rate of 33.0% as of 2016. In Botswana, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

make 68.6% less money

Canada has a GDP per capita of $55,800 as of 2023, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 4.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In Canada, 5.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

be 71.3% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Canada, 9.4% live below the poverty line as of 2008. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

Life

have 92.7% more children

In Canada, there are approximately 10.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Botswana, there are 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 16.9 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Canada, approximately 11.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 5.7 times more likely to die during infancy

In Canada, approximately 4.4 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 24.1% less likely to have access to electricity

In Canada, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Botswana, 76% of the population do as of 2022.

be 20.4% less likely to have internet access

In Canada, approximately 93.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Botswana, about 74.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 51.9% less on healthcare

Canada spends 12.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 6.2% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 67.3% more on education

Canada spends 5.2% 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, Botswana Unified Revenue Service, Canada Revenue Agency.

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

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