Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Equatorial Guinea instead of Laos, you would:

Health

be 24.3 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Laos, 0.3% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 7.3% of people as of 2020.

live 4.5 years less

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 64 years (61 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2022.

be 50.9% more likely to be obese

In Laos, 5.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 8.0% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 2.0 times more money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $8,400 as of 2023, while in Equatorial Guinea, the GDP per capita is $16,900 as of 2023.

be 7.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 1.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.

be 2.4 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Equatorial Guinea, however, that number is 44.0% as of 2011.

pay a 45.8% higher top tax rate

Laos has a top tax rate of 24.0% as of 2016. In Equatorial Guinea, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

Life

have 51.3% more children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Equatorial Guinea, there are 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 68.3% more likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Equatorial Guinea, 212.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.1 times more likely to die during infancy

In Laos, approximately 37.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Equatorial Guinea, on the other hand, 78.3 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 33.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Laos, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (98% in urban areas, and 93% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 67% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 47% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 12.9% less likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Equatorial Guinea, about 54.0% do as of 2021.

be 23.9% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Laos, approximately 89% of people have improved drinking water access (97% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 68% of people on average (82% in urban areas, and 32% in rural areas) as of 2017.

Expenditures

spend 40.7% more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 3.8% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance.

Equatorial Guinea: At a glance

Equatorial Guinea is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 28,051 sq km. Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro Obiang NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996, 2002, and 2009 presidential elections - as well as the 1999, 2004, 2008, and 2013 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production, resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, improvements in the population's living standards have been slow to develop.
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How big is Equatorial Guinea compared to Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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