Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 11.7 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Ghana, 1.7% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2020.

live 3.7 years less

In Ghana, the average life expectancy is 69 years (68 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

be 73.4% more likely to be obese

In Ghana, 10.9% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 2.6 times more money

Ghana has a GDP per capita of $6,700 as of 2023, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 31.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Ghana, 23.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

be 7.6 times more likely to be unemployed

In Ghana, 3.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 29.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Ghana, approximately 263.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 12.0% more likely to be literate

In Ghana, the literacy rate is 79.0% as of 2018. In Botswana, it is 88.5% as of 2015.

be 22.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Ghana, approximately 32.6 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.

have 29.0% fewer children

In Ghana, there are approximately 27.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Botswana, there are 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 10.8% less likely to have access to electricity

In Ghana, approximately 85% of people have electricity access (95% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 76% of people on average (93% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 2.2 times more on education

Ghana spends 4.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2018. Botswana spends 8.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 55.0% more on healthcare

Ghana spends 4.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 6.2% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

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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