Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Vietnam 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 Vietnam, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2020.

live 10.2 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Vietnam, that number is 76 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

be 92.6% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Vietnam, that number is 2.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 94.3% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Vietnam, that number is 1.6% as of 2023.

be 71.1% less likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Vietnam, however, that number is 4.8% as of 2020.

pay a 22.2% lower top tax rate

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

Life

be 43.0% 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 Vietnam, on the other hand, 14.8 children do as of 2022.

have 15.8% fewer children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Vietnam, there are 14.9 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 people have electricity access (87% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Vietnam, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 37.9% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Vietnam spends 4.1% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 45.3% less on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Vietnam, that number is 4.7% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 23.1% more coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Vietnam, that number is 3,444 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance, South African Revenue Service.

Vietnam: At a glance

Vietnam (sometimes abbreviated SRV) is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 310,070 sq km. The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by communist forces under Ho Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the communist North and anti-communist South. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South reuniting the country under communist rule. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies, the persecution and mass exodus of individuals - many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants - and growing international isolation. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The communist leaders, however, maintain control on political expression and have resisted outside calls to improve human rights. The country continues to experience small-scale protests from various groups - the vast majority connected to land-use issues, calls for increased political space, and the lack of equitable mechanisms for resolving disputes. Various ethnic minorities, such as the Montagnards of the Central Highlands and the Khmer Krom in the southern delta region, have also held protests.
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