Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Madagascar instead of Panama, you would:

Health

be 76.7% less likely to be obese

In Panama, 22.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Madagascar, that number is 5.3% of people as of 2016.

live 9.5 years less

In Panama, the average life expectancy is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022. In Madagascar, that number is 68 years (67 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 54.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Panama, 6.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Madagascar, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.

pay a 20.0% lower top tax rate

Panama has a top tax rate of 25.0% as of 2016. In Madagascar, the top tax rate is 20.0% as of 2016.

make 95.3% less money

Panama has a GDP per capita of $35,800 as of 2023, while in Madagascar, the GDP per capita is $1,700 as of 2023.

be 3.3 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Panama, 21.5% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Madagascar, however, that number is 70.7% as of 2012.

Life

have 58.6% more children

In Panama, there are approximately 17.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Madagascar, there are 27.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 7.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Panama, approximately 50.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Madagascar, 392.0 women do as of 2020.

be 19.2% less likely to be literate

In Panama, the literacy rate is 95.7% as of 2019. In Madagascar, it is 77.3% as of 2021.

be 2.4 times more likely to die during infancy

In Panama, approximately 16.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Madagascar, on the other hand, 39.0 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 62.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Panama, approximately 95% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 86% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Madagascar, that number is 36% of people on average (73% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 70.6% less likely to have internet access

In Panama, approximately 68.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Madagascar, about 20.0% do as of 2021.

be 41.7% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Panama, approximately 96% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 88% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Madagascar, that number is 56% of people on average (85% in urban areas, and 38% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 20.5% less on education

Panama spends 3.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Madagascar spends 3.1% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 59.8% less on healthcare

Panama spends 9.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Madagascar, that number is 3.9% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 93.9% more coastline

Panama has a total of 2,490 km of coastline. In Madagascar, that number is 4,828 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, General Direction of Taxes, General Directorate of Revenues, Panama.

Madagascar: At a glance

Madagascar is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 581,540 sq km. Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA achieved a second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006. In early 2009, protests over increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA handing over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA defeated RAVALOMANANA's favored candidate Jean-Louis ROBINSON in a presidential runoff and was inaugurated in January 2014. Most international observers, while noting some irregularities, declared polls to be a credible reflection of the Malagasy public's will.
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