Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Belize instead of North Korea, you would:

Health

live 4.0 years longer

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 72 years (68 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Belize, that number is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.5 times more likely to be obese

In North Korea, 6.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Belize, that number is 24.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 7.5 times more money

North Korea has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2015, while in Belize, the GDP per capita is $12,800 as of 2023.

be 2.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Belize, that number is 8.3% as of 2023.

Life

be 49.8% less likely to die during infancy

In North Korea, approximately 22.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Belize, on the other hand, 11.2 children do as of 2022.

have 34.1% more children

In North Korea, there are approximately 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Belize, there are 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 21.5% more likely to die during childbirth

In North Korea, approximately 107.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Belize, 130.0 women do as of 2020.

Basic Needs

be 80.3% more likely to have access to electricity

In North Korea, approximately 55% of people have electricity access (36% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Belize, that number is 99% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2022.

Geography

see 84.5% less coastline

North Korea has a total of 2,495 km of coastline. In Belize, that number is 386 km.

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

Belize: At a glance

Belize is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 22,806 sq km. Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the country's heavy foreign debt burden, high unemployment, growing involvement in the Mexican and South American drug trade, high crime rates, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America.
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How big is Belize compared to North Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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