Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 33.6% less likely to be obese

In Iraq, 30.4% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Guyana, that number is 20.2% of people as of 2016.

live 1.3 years less

In Iraq, the average life expectancy is 73 years (71 years for men, 75 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 4.0 times more money

Iraq has a GDP per capita of $12,600 as of 2023, while in Guyana, the GDP per capita is $49,800 as of 2023.

be 20.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Iraq, 15.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Guyana, that number is 12.4% as of 2023.

be 52.2% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Iraq, 23.0% live below the poverty line as of 2014. In Guyana, however, that number is 35.0% as of 2006.

Life

be 77.2% more likely to be literate

In Iraq, the literacy rate is 50.1% as of 2018. In Guyana, it is 88.8% as of 2021.

be 47.4% more likely to die during childbirth

In Iraq, approximately 76.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Guyana, 112.0 women do as of 2020.

be 12.9% 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 Guyana, on the other hand, 22.1 children do as of 2022.

have 29.5% fewer children

In Iraq, there are approximately 23.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Guyana, there are 16.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 73.5% more likely to have internet access

In Iraq, approximately 49.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Guyana, about 85.0% do as of 2021.

Geography

see 7.9 times more coastline

Iraq has a total of 58 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 Iraq? See an in-depth size comparison.

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