Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 13.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Iceland, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Guyana, that number is 1.3% of people as of 2020.

live 11.8 years less

In Iceland, the average life expectancy is 84 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Guyana, that number is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 25.1% less money

Iceland has a GDP per capita of $66,500 as of 2023, while in Guyana, the GDP per capita is $49,800 as of 2023.

be 3.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In Iceland, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Guyana, that number is 12.4% as of 2023.

be 4.0 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Iceland, 8.8% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Guyana, however, that number is 35.0% as of 2006.

Life

have 32.5% more children

In Iceland, there are approximately 12.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Guyana, there are 16.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 37.3 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Iceland, approximately 3.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Guyana, 112.0 women do as of 2020.

be 13.4 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 Guyana, on the other hand, 22.1 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 15.0% less likely to have internet access

In Iceland, approximately 100.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Guyana, about 85.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 41.6% less on education

Iceland spends 7.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Guyana spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2018.

spend 42.7% less on healthcare

Iceland spends 9.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Guyana, that number is 5.5% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 90.8% less coastline

Iceland has a total of 4,970 km of coastline. In Guyana, that number is 459 km.

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

Guyana: At a glance

Guyana is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 196,849 sq km. Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR was elected president in 2011.
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How big is Guyana compared to Iceland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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