Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Bangladesh instead of South Africa, you would:

Health

be 99.5% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Bangladesh, that number is 0.1% of people as of 2018.

live 9.4 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Bangladesh, that number is 75 years (73 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2022.

be 87.3% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Bangladesh, that number is 3.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 81.9% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Bangladesh, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.

pay a 33.3% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Bangladesh, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

make 42.7% less money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in Bangladesh, the GDP per capita is $8,200 as of 2023.

be 12.7% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Bangladesh, however, that number is 18.7% as of 2022.

Life

be 21.2% less likely to be literate

In South Africa, the literacy rate is 95.0% as of 2019. In Bangladesh, it is 74.9% as of 2020.

be 17.3% more likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Bangladesh, on the other hand, 30.4 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 14.9% more likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 86% of people have electricity access (87% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Bangladesh, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 45.8% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Bangladesh, about 39.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 68.2% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Bangladesh spends 2.1% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 69.8% less on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Bangladesh, that number is 2.6% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 79.3% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Bangladesh, that number is 580 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, South African Revenue Service, National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh.

Bangladesh: At a glance

Bangladesh is a sovereign country in South Asia, with a total land area of approximately 130,170 sq km. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region now referred to as Bangladesh began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. Partition in 1947 resulted in an eastern wing of Pakistan in the Muslim-majority area, which became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won independence for Bangladesh in a brief war in 1971, during which at least 300,000 civilians died. The post-independence, AL government faced daunting challenges and in 1975 was overthrown by the military, triggering a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections in 1991. The BNP and AL have alternately held power since then, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime that suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. That government returned the country to fully democratic rule in December 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. In January 2014, the AL won the national election by an overwhelming majority after the BNP boycotted, extending HASINA's term as prime minister. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh has made great progress in food security since independence, and the economy has grown at an average of about 6 percent over the last two decades.
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