Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Costa Rica instead of Nauru, you would:

Health

live 11.7 years longer

In Nauru, the average life expectancy is 68 years (64 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2022. In Costa Rica, that number is 80 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2022.

be 57.9% less likely to be obese

In Nauru, 61.0% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Costa Rica, that number is 25.7% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 2.3 times more money

Nauru has a GDP per capita of $11,400 as of 2023, while in Costa Rica, the GDP per capita is $25,800 as of 2023.

be 63.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Nauru, 23.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2011. In Costa Rica, that number is 8.3% as of 2023.

Life

have 46.5% fewer children

In Nauru, there are approximately 20.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Costa Rica, there are 10.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Expenditures

spend 34.2% less on healthcare

Nauru spends 12.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Costa Rica, that number is 7.9% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 43.0 times more coastline

Nauru has a total of 30 km of coastline. In Costa Rica, that number is 1,290 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Costa Rica: At a glance

Costa Rica is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 51,060 sq km. Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. In 1949, Costa Rica dissolved its armed forces. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
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How big is Costa Rica compared to Nauru? See an in-depth size comparison.

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