Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Equatorial Guinea instead of North Korea, you would:

Health

live 8.1 years less

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 72 years (68 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 64 years (61 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2022.

be 17.6% more likely to be obese

In North Korea, 6.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 8.0% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 9.9 times more money

North Korea has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2015, while in Equatorial Guinea, the GDP per capita is $16,900 as of 2023.

be 2.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.

Life

have 2.3 times more children

In North Korea, there are approximately 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Equatorial Guinea, there are 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 98.1% more likely to die during childbirth

In North Korea, approximately 107.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Equatorial Guinea, 212.0 women do as of 2020.

be 3.5 times more 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 Equatorial Guinea, on the other hand, 78.3 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 22.5% 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 Equatorial Guinea, that number is 67% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 47% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 28.5% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In North Korea, approximately 94% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 89% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 68% of people on average (82% in urban areas, and 32% in rural areas) as of 2017.

Geography

see 88.1% less coastline

North Korea has a total of 2,495 km of coastline. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 296 km.

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

Equatorial Guinea: At a glance

Equatorial Guinea is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 28,051 sq km. Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro Obiang NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996, 2002, and 2009 presidential elections - as well as the 1999, 2004, 2008, and 2013 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production, resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, improvements in the population's living standards have been slow to develop.
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How big is Equatorial Guinea compared to North Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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