Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Gabon instead of Switzerland, you would:

Health

be 23.1% less likely to be obese

In Switzerland, 19.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Gabon, that number is 15.0% of people as of 2016.

be 15.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Switzerland, 0.2% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Gabon, that number is 3.0% of people as of 2020.

live 13.5 years less

In Switzerland, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Gabon, that number is 70 years (68 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

pay a 12.5% lower top tax rate

Switzerland has a top tax rate of 40.0% as of 2016. In Gabon, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

make 76.1% less money

Switzerland has a GDP per capita of $82,900 as of 2023, while in Gabon, the GDP per capita is $19,800 as of 2023.

be 5.0 times more likely to be unemployed

In Switzerland, 4.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Gabon, that number is 20.4% as of 2023.

be 2.3 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Switzerland, 14.7% live below the poverty line as of 2020. In Gabon, however, that number is 33.4% as of 2017.

Life

have 2.5 times more children

In Switzerland, there are approximately 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Gabon, there are 25.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 32.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Switzerland, approximately 7.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Gabon, 227.0 women do as of 2020.

be 8.0 times more likely to die during infancy

In Switzerland, approximately 3.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Gabon, on the other hand, 28.6 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 25.0% less likely to have internet access

In Switzerland, approximately 96.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Gabon, about 72.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 38.5% less on education

Switzerland spends 5.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Gabon spends 3.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 71.2% less on healthcare

Switzerland spends 11.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Gabon, that number is 3.4% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, General Direction of Taxes, Swiss Federal Tax Administration.

Gabon: At a glance

Gabon is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 257,667 sq km. El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009) following independence from France in 1960. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in December 2002 and the presidential elections in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, new elections brought Ali BONGO Ondimba, son of the former president, to power. Despite constrained political conditions, Gabon's small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make it one of the more stable African countries.
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How big is Gabon compared to Switzerland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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