Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 12.1 years less

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 72 years (68 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Swaziland, that number is 60 years (58 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2022.

be 2.4 times more likely to be obese

In North Korea, 6.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Swaziland, that number is 16.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 6.2 times more money

North Korea has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2015, while in Swaziland, the GDP per capita is $10,600 as of 2023.

be 12.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Swaziland, that number is 37.6% as of 2023.

Life

have 68.9% more children

In North Korea, there are approximately 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Swaziland, there are 22.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 4.1 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 Swaziland, 437.0 women do as of 2017.

be 11.6% less likely to be literate

In North Korea, the literacy rate is 100.0% as of 2015. In Swaziland, it is 88.4% as of 2018.

be 78.4% 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 Swaziland, on the other hand, 39.6 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 50.5% 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 Swaziland, that number is 82% of people on average (94% in urban areas, and 79% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 15.0% 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 Swaziland, that number is 80% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 75% in rural areas) as of 2020.

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

Swaziland: At a glance

Swaziland is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 17,204 sq km. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, Africa's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.
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