Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 94.2% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Liberia, that number is 1.1% of people as of 2020.

be 65.0% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Liberia, that number is 9.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 89.5% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Liberia, that number is 2.9% as of 2023.

make 88.8% less money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in Liberia, the GDP per capita is $1,600 as of 2023.

be 3.1 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Liberia, however, that number is 50.9% as of 2016.

Life

have 83.1% more children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Liberia, there are 32.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 5.1 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Liberia, 652.0 women do as of 2020.

be 49.2% less likely to be literate

In South Africa, the literacy rate is 95.0% as of 2019. In Liberia, it is 48.3% as of 2017.

be 72.3% 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 Liberia, on the other hand, 44.6 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 63.2% less 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 Liberia, that number is 32% of people on average (50% in urban areas, and 8% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 52.8% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Liberia, about 34.0% do as of 2021.

be 13.1% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In South Africa, approximately 97% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 90% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Liberia, that number is 84% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 71% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 59.1% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Liberia spends 2.7% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 10.5% more on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Liberia, that number is 9.5% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 79.3% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Liberia, that number is 579 km.

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

Liberia: At a glance

Liberia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 96,320 sq km. Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendants of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. She subsequently won reelection in 2011 in a second round vote that was boycotted by the opposition and remains challenged to build Liberia's economy and reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. The United Nations Security Council in September 2012 passed Resolution 2066 which calls for a reduction of UN troops in Liberia by half by 2015, bringing the troop total down to fewer than 4000, and challenging Liberia's security sector to fill the gaps.
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