Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 5.4 years longer

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 72 years (68 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Libya, that number is 77 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2022.

be 4.8 times more likely to be obese

In North Korea, 6.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Libya, that number is 32.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 10.4 times more money

North Korea has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2015, while in Libya, the GDP per capita is $17,700 as of 2023.

be 6.2 times more likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Libya, that number is 18.7% as of 2023.

Life

be 32.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In North Korea, approximately 107.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Libya, 72.0 women do as of 2020.

be 49.5% 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 Libya, on the other hand, 11.2 children do as of 2022.

have 53.8% more children

In North Korea, there are approximately 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Libya, there are 20.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 28.0% 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 Libya, that number is 70% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2022.

Geography

see 29.1% less coastline

North Korea has a total of 2,495 km of coastline. In Libya, that number is 1,770 km.

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

Libya: At a glance

Libya is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 1,759,540 sq km. The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership and began to espouse his political system at home, which was a combination of socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners - one over Scotland, another in Northern Africa - and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically following the attacks; sanctions were lifted in 2003 following Libyan acceptance of responsibility for the bombings and agreement to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations. Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in late 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in early 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned a civil war that triggered UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community. After months of seesaw fighting between government and opposition forces, the QADHAFI regime was toppled in mid-2011 and replaced by a transitional government. Libya in 2012 formed a new parliament and elected a new prime minister.
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