Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Papua New Guinea instead of South Korea, you would:

Health

live 13.5 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 69 years (68 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022.

be 4.5 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 21.3% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 91.7% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Papua New Guinea, the GDP per capita is $4,200 as of 2023.

be 2.6 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Papua New Guinea, however, that number is 37.0% as of 2002.

pay a 10.5% higher top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Papua New Guinea, the top tax rate is 42.0% as of 2016.

Life

have 4.1 times more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Papua New Guinea, there are 28.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 24.0 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 Papua New Guinea, 192.0 women do as of 2020.

be 34.5% less likely to be literate

In South Korea, the literacy rate is 98.0% as of 2019. In Papua New Guinea, it is 64.2% as of 2015.

be 11.7 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 Papua New Guinea, on the other hand, 33.6 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 81.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In South Korea, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Papua New Guinea, 19% of the population do as of 2022.

be 67.3% less likely to have internet access

In South Korea, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Papua New Guinea, about 32.0% do as of 2021.

be 52.5% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In South Korea, approximately 100% of people have improved drinking water access as of 2020. In Papua New Guinea, 48% of people do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 70.2% less on education

South Korea spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Papua New Guinea spends 1.4% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 70.2% less on healthcare

South Korea spends 8.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 2.5% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 2.1 times more coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 5,152 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, National Tax Service, South Korea, Internal Revenue Commission, Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea: At a glance

Papua New Guinea (sometimes abbreviated PNG) is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 452,860 sq km. The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.
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How big is Papua New Guinea compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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