Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Palau instead of Sao Tome and Principe, you would:

Health

live 7.6 years longer

In Sao Tome and Principe, the average life expectancy is 67 years (65 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2022. In Palau, that number is 75 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

be 4.5 times more likely to be obese

In Sao Tome and Principe, 12.4% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Palau, that number is 55.3% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 2.9 times more money

Sao Tome and Principe has a GDP per capita of $5,500 as of 2023, while in Palau, the GDP per capita is $15,800 as of 2023.

be 88.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Sao Tome and Principe, 14.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Palau, that number is 1.7% as of 2015.

be 55.1% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Sao Tome and Principe, 55.5% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Palau, however, that number is 24.9% as of 2006.

Life

be 74.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 44.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Palau, on the other hand, 11.3 children do as of 2022.

have 56.6% fewer children

In Sao Tome and Principe, there are approximately 26.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Palau, there are 11.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 28.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 78% of people have electricity access (80% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Palau, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 27.1% less likely to have internet access

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 51.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Palau, about 37.2% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 36.0% more on education

Sao Tome and Principe spends 5.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Palau spends 6.8% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

spend 3.8 times more on healthcare

Sao Tome and Principe spends 4.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Palau, that number is 18.4% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 7.3 times more coastline

Sao Tome and Principe has a total of 209 km of coastline. In Palau, that number is 1,519 km.

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

Palau: At a glance

Palau is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 459 sq km. After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with the US was approved in 1986 but not ratified until 1993. It entered into force the following year when the islands gained independence.
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How big is Palau compared to Sao Tome and Principe? See an in-depth size comparison.

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