Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 98.4% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Ecuador, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2020.

live 12.2 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Ecuador, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.

be 29.7% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Ecuador, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 88.0% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Ecuador, that number is 3.4% as of 2023.

pay a 22.2% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Ecuador, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

be 51.8% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Ecuador, however, that number is 25.2% as of 2022.

Life

be 48.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Ecuador, 66.0 women do as of 2020.

be 29.9% less 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 Ecuador, on the other hand, 18.1 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 15.6% 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 Ecuador, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 93% in rural areas) as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 43.9% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Ecuador spends 3.7% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

Geography

see 20.1% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Ecuador, that number is 2,237 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Servicio de Rentas Internas del Ecuador, South African Revenue Service.

Ecuador: At a glance

Ecuador is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 276,841 sq km. What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador's 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, and voters re-elected President Rafael CORREA.
Read more

How big is Ecuador compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

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