Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Zambia instead of Ireland, you would:

Health

be 68.0% less likely to be obese

In Ireland, 25.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Zambia, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2016.

be 55.5 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Ireland, 0.2% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 11.1% of people as of 2020.

live 15.4 years less

In Ireland, the average life expectancy is 82 years (79 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022. In Zambia, that number is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

pay a 27.1% lower top tax rate

Ireland has a top tax rate of 48.0% as of 2016. In Zambia, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

make 97.0% less money

Ireland has a GDP per capita of $112,400 as of 2022, while in Zambia, the GDP per capita is $3,400 as of 2022.

be 3.9 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Ireland, 14.0% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Zambia, however, that number is 54.4% as of 2015.

Life

have 3.1 times more children

In Ireland, there are approximately 11.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Zambia, there are 34.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 27.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Ireland, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Zambia, 135.0 women do as of 2020.

be 10.7 times more likely to die during infancy

In Ireland, approximately 3.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Zambia, on the other hand, 37.1 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 53.4% less likely to have access to electricity

In Ireland, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2021. In Zambia, 47% of the population do as of 2021.

be 77.9% less likely to have internet access

In Ireland, approximately 95.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Zambia, about 21.0% do as of 2021.

be 26.5% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Ireland, approximately 97% of people have improved drinking water access (97% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 72% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 57% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 21.1% less on healthcare

Ireland spends 7.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 5.6% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 19.4% more on education

Ireland spends 3.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Zambia spends 3.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Zambia Revenue Authority, The Office of the Revenue Commissioners.

Zambia: At a glance

Zambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 743,398 sq km. The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected president in September 2011.
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