Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 37.8% less likely to be obese

In Iraq, 30.4% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

live 7.5 years less

In Iraq, the average life expectancy is 73 years (71 years for men, 75 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

make 38.9% more money

Iraq has a GDP per capita of $12,600 as of 2023, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 30.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Iraq, 23.0% live below the poverty line as of 2014. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

be 50.5% more likely to be unemployed

In Iraq, 15.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

pay a 66.7% higher top tax rate

Iraq has a top tax rate of 15.0% as of 2016. In Botswana, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 76.6% more likely to be literate

In Iraq, the literacy rate is 50.1% as of 2018. In Botswana, it is 88.5% as of 2015.

be 2.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Iraq, approximately 76.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 28.3% more likely to die during infancy

In Iraq, approximately 19.6 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 17.3% fewer children

In Iraq, there are approximately 23.7 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 51.0% more likely to have internet access

In Iraq, approximately 49.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Botswana, about 74.0% do as of 2021.

be 24.1% less likely to have access to electricity

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

Expenditures

spend 85.1% more on education

Iraq spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2016. Botswana spends 8.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 21.6% more on healthcare

Iraq spends 5.1% 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, Ministry of Finance, 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.
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How big is Botswana compared to Iraq? See an in-depth size comparison.

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