Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 99.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Sweden, that number is 0.2% of people as of 2016.

live 17.4 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Sweden, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

be 27.2% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Sweden, that number is 20.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 4.5 times more money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in Sweden, the GDP per capita is $64,200 as of 2023.

be 72.9% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Sweden, that number is 7.6% as of 2023.

pay a 26.9% higher top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Sweden, the top tax rate is 57.1% as of 2016.

Life

be 96.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Sweden, 5.0 women do as of 2020.

be 91.1% 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 Sweden, on the other hand, 2.3 children do as of 2022.

have 39.5% fewer children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Sweden, there are 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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 Sweden, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 22.2% more likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Sweden, about 88.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 32.6% more on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Sweden, that number is 11.4% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 15.0% more coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Sweden, that number is 3,218 km.

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

Sweden: At a glance

Sweden is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 410,335 sq km. A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both world wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
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How big is Sweden compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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