Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Egypt 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 Egypt, that number is 0.1% of people as of 2020.

live 9.1 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Egypt, that number is 74 years (73 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022.

be 13.1% more likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Egypt, that number is 32.0% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 18.9% more money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in Egypt, the GDP per capita is $17,000 as of 2023.

be 73.9% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Egypt, that number is 7.3% as of 2023.

pay a 50.0% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Egypt, the top tax rate is 22.5% as of 2016.

be 78.9% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Egypt, however, that number is 29.7% as of 2019.

Life

be 86.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Egypt, 17.0 women do as of 2020.

be 31.6% 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 Egypt, on the other hand, 17.7 children do as of 2022.

have 10.2% more children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Egypt, there are 19.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 23.1% less likely to be literate

In South Africa, the literacy rate is 95.0% as of 2019. In Egypt, it is 73.1% as of 2021.

Basic Needs

be 15.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 86% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Egypt, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 62.1% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Egypt spends 2.5% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 48.8% less on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Egypt, that number is 4.4% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 12.4% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Egypt, that number is 2,450 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, South African Revenue Service, Egyptian Tax Authority.

Egypt: At a glance

Egypt is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 995,450 sq km. The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 elevated Egypt as an important world transportation hub. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty from Britain in 1952. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to meet the demands of Egypt's population through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure. Inspired by the 2010 Tunisian revolution, Egyptian opposition groups led demonstrations and labor strikes countrywide, culminating in President Hosni MUBARAK's ouster. Egypt's military assumed national leadership until a new parliament was in place in early 2012; later that same year, Mohammed MORSI won the presidential election. Following often violent protests throughout the spring of 2013 against MORSI's government and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), and massive anti-government demonstrations, the Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF) intervened and removed MORSI from power in mid-July 2013 and replaced him with interim president Adly MANSOUR. In mid-January 2014, voters approved a new constitution by referendum. Presidential elections to replace MANSOUR are scheduled for late May 2014. According to the constitution and the government's transitional road map, preparations for parliamentary elections will begin by mid-July 2014.
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