Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Madagascar instead of Laos, you would:

Economy

pay a 16.7% lower top tax rate

Laos has a top tax rate of 24.0% as of 2016. In Madagascar, the top tax rate is 20.0% as of 2016.

make 79.8% less money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $8,400 as of 2023, while in Madagascar, the GDP per capita is $1,700 as of 2023.

be 2.6 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 1.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Madagascar, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.

be 3.9 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Madagascar, however, that number is 70.7% as of 2012.

Life

have 39.4% more children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Madagascar, there are 27.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 3.1 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Madagascar, 392.0 women do as of 2020.

be 11.3% less likely to be literate

In Laos, the literacy rate is 87.1% as of 2021. In Madagascar, it is 77.3% as of 2021.

Basic Needs

be 63.9% 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 Madagascar, that number is 36% of people on average (73% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 67.7% less likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Madagascar, about 20.0% do as of 2021.

be 36.8% 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 Madagascar, that number is 56% of people on average (85% in urban areas, and 38% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 34.8% more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Madagascar spends 3.1% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 44.4% more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Madagascar, that number is 3.9% of GDP as of 2020.

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

Madagascar: At a glance

Madagascar is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 581,540 sq km. Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA achieved a second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006. In early 2009, protests over increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA handing over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA defeated RAVALOMANANA's favored candidate Jean-Louis ROBINSON in a presidential runoff and was inaugurated in January 2014. Most international observers, while noting some irregularities, declared polls to be a credible reflection of the Malagasy public's will.
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