Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Kiribati instead of New Zealand, you would:

Health

live 14.6 years less

In New Zealand, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022. In Kiribati, that number is 68 years (65 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022.

be 49.4% more likely to be obese

In New Zealand, 30.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Kiribati, that number is 46.0% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 95.6% less money

New Zealand has a GDP per capita of $45,200 as of 2022, while in Kiribati, the GDP per capita is $2,000 as of 2022.

be 9.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In New Zealand, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Kiribati, that number is 30.6% as of 2010.

Life

have 56.3% more children

In New Zealand, there are approximately 12.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Kiribati, there are 19.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 10.9 times more likely to die during childbirth

In New Zealand, approximately 7.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Kiribati, 76.0 women do as of 2020.

be 9.6 times more likely to die during infancy

In New Zealand, approximately 3.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Kiribati, on the other hand, 32.9 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 43.8% less likely to have internet access

In New Zealand, approximately 96.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Kiribati, about 54.0% do as of 2021.

be 18.0% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In New Zealand, approximately 100% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Kiribati, that number is 82% of people on average (97% in urban areas, and 63% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 2.1 times more on education

New Zealand spends 6.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Kiribati spends 12.4% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

spend 16.0% more on healthcare

New Zealand spends 10.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Kiribati, that number is 11.6% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 92.4% less coastline

New Zealand has a total of 15,134 km of coastline. In Kiribati, that number is 1,143 km.

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

Kiribati: At a glance

Kiribati is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 811 sq km. The Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate in 1892 and a colony in 1915; they were captured by the Japanese in the Pacific War in 1941. The islands of Makin and Tarawa were the sites of major US amphibious victories over entrenched Japanese garrisons in 1943. The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.
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How big is Kiribati compared to New Zealand? See an in-depth size comparison.

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