Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Ecuador instead of South Korea, you would:

Health

live 5.5 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Ecuador, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.

be 4.2 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Ecuador, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 71.7% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Ecuador, the GDP per capita is $14,300 as of 2023.

be 27.7% more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Ecuador, that number is 3.4% as of 2023.

be 75.0% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Ecuador, however, that number is 25.2% as of 2022.

Life

have 2.6 times more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Ecuador, there are 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 8.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Korea, approximately 8.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Ecuador, 66.0 women do as of 2020.

be 6.3 times more likely to die during infancy

In South Korea, approximately 2.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Ecuador, on the other hand, 18.1 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 22.4% less likely to have internet access

In South Korea, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Ecuador, about 76.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 21.3% less on education

South Korea spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Ecuador spends 3.7% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

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

Ecuador: At a glance

Ecuador is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 276,841 sq km. What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador's 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, and voters re-elected President Rafael CORREA.
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How big is Ecuador compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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