Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Fiji instead of Malaysia, you would:

Health

live 1.9 years less

In Malaysia, the average life expectancy is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022. In Fiji, that number is 74 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2022.

be 93.6% more likely to be obese

In Malaysia, 15.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Fiji, that number is 30.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

pay a 28.6% lower top tax rate

Malaysia has a top tax rate of 28.0% as of 2016. In Fiji, the top tax rate is 20.0% as of 2016.

make 59.5% less money

Malaysia has a GDP per capita of $33,600 as of 2023, while in Fiji, the GDP per capita is $13,600 as of 2023.

be 12.2% more likely to be unemployed

In Malaysia, 3.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Fiji, that number is 4.3% as of 2023.

be 4.8 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Malaysia, 6.2% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Fiji, however, that number is 29.9% as of 2019.

Life

have 12.0% more children

In Malaysia, there are approximately 14.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Fiji, there are 15.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 81.0% more likely to die during childbirth

In Malaysia, approximately 21.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Fiji, 38.0 women do as of 2020.

be 52.7% more likely to die during infancy

In Malaysia, approximately 6.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Fiji, on the other hand, 10.1 children do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 46.2% more on education

Malaysia spends 3.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Fiji spends 5.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

Geography

see 75.9% less coastline

Malaysia has a total of 4,675 km of coastline. In Fiji, that number is 1,129 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, Fiji Revenue & Customs Authority.

Fiji: At a glance

Fiji is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 18,274 sq km. Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has neutralized his opponents, crippled Fiji's democratic institutions, and initially refused to hold elections. In 2012, he promised to hold elections in 2014.
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How big is Fiji compared to Malaysia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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