Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Botswana instead of Saudi Arabia, you would:

Health

be 46.6% less likely to be obese

In Saudi Arabia, 35.4% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

be 199.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Saudi Arabia, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2020.

live 11.0 years less

In Saudi Arabia, the average life expectancy is 77 years (75 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 64.7% less money

Saudi Arabia has a GDP per capita of $49,600 as of 2023, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 4.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In Saudi Arabia, 4.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

Life

have 44.1% more children

In Saudi Arabia, there are approximately 13.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Botswana, there are 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 11.6 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 16.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.1 times more likely to die during infancy

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 12.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Botswana, on the other hand, 25.2 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 24.1% less likely to have access to electricity

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 76% of people on average (93% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 26.0% less likely to have internet access

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 100.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Botswana, about 74.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 11.5% more on education

Saudi Arabia spends 7.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Botswana spends 8.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

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

Botswana: At a glance

Botswana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 566,730 sq km. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
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How big is Botswana compared to Saudi Arabia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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