Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 14.0 years longer

In Somalia, the average life expectancy is 56 years (53 years for men, 58 years for women) as of 2022. In Pakistan, that number is 70 years (68 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 3.9 times more money

Somalia has a GDP per capita of $1,400 as of 2022, while in Pakistan, the GDP per capita is $5,400 as of 2022.

be 71.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Somalia, 19.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Pakistan, that number is 5.6% as of 2022.

be 59.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Somalia, 54.4% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Pakistan, however, that number is 21.9% as of 2018.

Life

be 75.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Somalia, approximately 621.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Pakistan, 154.0 women do as of 2020.

be 37.6% 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 Pakistan, on the other hand, 54.0 children do as of 2022.

have 31.8% fewer children

In Somalia, there are approximately 37.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Pakistan, there are 25.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 92.5% 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 2021. In Pakistan, that number is 95% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2021.

be 44.8% more likely to have internet access

In Somalia, approximately 14.5% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Pakistan, about 21.0% do as of 2021.

be 11.6% 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 Pakistan, that number is 94% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 8.0 times more on education

Somalia spends 0.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Pakistan spends 2.4% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

Geography

see 65.4% less coastline

Somalia has a total of 3,025 km of coastline. In Pakistan, that number is 1,046 km.

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

Pakistan: At a glance

Pakistan is a sovereign country in South Asia, with a total land area of approximately 770,875 sq km. The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. India-Pakistan relations have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, but both countries are taking small steps to put relations back on track. In February 2008, Pakistan held parliamentary elections and in September 2008, after the resignation of former President MUSHARRAF, elected Asif Ali ZARDARI to the presidency. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control domestic insurgents, many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan.
Read more

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

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

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