Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Tajikistan 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 Tajikistan, that number is 0.2% of people as of 2020.

live 4.0 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Tajikistan, that number is 69 years (66 years for men, 73 years for women) as of 2022.

be 49.8% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Tajikistan, that number is 14.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 75.7% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Tajikistan, that number is 7.0% as of 2022.

pay a 71.1% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Tajikistan, the top tax rate is 13.0% as of 2016.

make 69.6% less money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $13,500 as of 2022, while in Tajikistan, the GDP per capita is $4,100 as of 2022.

be 35.5% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Tajikistan, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

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 Tajikistan, 17.0 women do as of 2020.

have 45.8% more children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Tajikistan, there are 25.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 25.0% 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 Tajikistan, on the other hand, 32.3 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 11.4% more likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 89% of people have electricity access (87% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2021. In Tajikistan, that number is 100% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2021.

be 57.8% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Tajikistan, about 30.4% do as of 2022.

be 12.7% 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 Tajikistan, that number is 84% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 80% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 10.6% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Tajikistan spends 5.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: National Center of Legislation under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, The World Factbook, South African Revenue Service.

Tajikistan: At a glance

Tajikistan is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 141,510 sq km. The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. Bands of indigenous guerrillas (called "basmachi") fiercely contested Bolshevik control of the area, which was not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan was first created as an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan in 1924, but the USSR designated Tajikistan a separate republic in 1929 and transferred to it much of present-day Sughd province. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Tajikistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between regional factions from 1992 to 1997. Tajikistan endured several domestic security incidents during 2010-12, including armed conflict between government forces and local strongmen in the Rasht Valley and between government forces and criminal groups in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. The country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Tajikistan became a member of the World Trade Organization in March 2013. However, its economy continues to face major challenges, including dependence on remittances from Tajikistanis working in Russia, pervasive corruption, and the major role narcotrafficking plays in the country's informal economy.
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How big is Tajikistan compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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