Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 13.7% less likely to be obese

In Iceland, 21.9% 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 Iceland, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2020.

live 18.0 years less

In Iceland, the average life expectancy is 84 years (81 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 46.0% lower top tax rate

Iceland has a top tax rate of 46.3% as of 2016. In Botswana, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

make 73.7% less money

Iceland has a GDP per capita of $66,500 as of 2023, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 6.6 times more likely to be unemployed

In Iceland, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

be 83.0% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Iceland, 8.8% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

Life

have 55.6% more children

In Iceland, there are approximately 12.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Botswana, there are 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 62.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Iceland, approximately 3.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 15.3 times more likely to die during infancy

In Iceland, approximately 1.6 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.

Basic Needs

be 24.1% less likely to have access to electricity

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

be 26.0% less likely to have internet access

In Iceland, approximately 100.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Botswana, about 74.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 35.4% less on healthcare

Iceland spends 9.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 6.2% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 13.0% more on education

Iceland spends 7.7% 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, Directorate of Internal Revenue.

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 Iceland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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