Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Botswana instead of Somalia, you would:

Health

live 9.9 years longer

In Somalia, the average life expectancy is 56 years (53 years for men, 58 years for women) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

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

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

be 2.3 times more likely to be obese

In Somalia, 8.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 11.7 times more money

Somalia has a GDP per capita of $1,500 as of 2023, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 70.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Somalia, 54.4% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

be 22.9% more likely to be unemployed

In Somalia, 19.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 70.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Somalia, approximately 621.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 70.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Somalia, approximately 86.5 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.

have 47.6% fewer children

In Somalia, there are approximately 37.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Botswana, there are 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 55.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Somalia, approximately 49% of people have electricity access (71% in urban areas, and 31% 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 5.1 times more likely to have internet access

In Somalia, approximately 14.5% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Botswana, about 74.0% do as of 2021.

be 18.1% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Somalia, approximately 84% of people have improved drinking water access (96% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 99% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 29.0 times more on education

Somalia spends 0.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. 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.
Read more

How big is Botswana compared to Somalia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Botswana.or Somalia It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.