Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 13.6 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 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 3.0 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Tajikistan, that number is 14.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

pay a 65.8% lower top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Tajikistan, the top tax rate is 13.0% as of 2016.

make 91.0% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $45,600 as of 2022, while in Tajikistan, the GDP per capita is $4,100 as of 2022.

be 2.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Tajikistan, that number is 7.0% as of 2022.

be 56.2% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Tajikistan, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

Life

have 3.7 times more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Tajikistan, there are 25.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 2.1 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 Tajikistan, 17.0 women do as of 2020.

be 11.3 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 Tajikistan, on the other hand, 32.3 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 69.0% less likely to have internet access

In South Korea, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Tajikistan, about 30.4% do as of 2022.

be 15.5% 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 Tajikistan, 84% of people do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 25.5% more on education

South Korea spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. 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, National Tax Service, South Korea.

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 Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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