Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Republic of the Congo instead of North Korea, you would:

Health

live 9.7 years less

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 72 years (68 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 62 years (61 years for men, 64 years for women) as of 2022.

be 41.2% more likely to be obese

In North Korea, 6.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 9.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 3.6 times more money

North Korea has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2015, while in Republic of the Congo, the GDP per capita is $6,200 as of 2023.

be 6.7 times more likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 20.1% as of 2023.

Life

have 2.2 times more children

In North Korea, there are approximately 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, there are 28.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 2.6 times more likely to die during childbirth

In North Korea, approximately 107.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Republic of the Congo, 282.0 women do as of 2020.

be 19.4% less likely to be literate

In North Korea, the literacy rate is 100.0% as of 2015. In Republic of the Congo, it is 80.6% as of 2021.

be 2.2 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 Republic of the Congo, on the other hand, 47.9 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 10.9% 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 Republic of the Congo, that number is 84% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Geography

see 93.2% less coastline

North Korea has a total of 2,495 km of coastline. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 169 km.

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

Republic of the Congo: At a glance

Republic of the Congo is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 341,500 sq km. Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.
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How big is Republic of the Congo compared to North Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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