Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Botswana instead of Syria, you would:

Health

be 32.0% less likely to be obese

In Syria, 27.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

be 199.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Syria, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2020.

live 8.6 years less

In Syria, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 6.0 times more money

Syria has a GDP per capita of $2,900 as of 2021, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 80.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Syria, 82.5% live below the poverty line as of 2014. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

be 72.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Syria, 13.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

pay a 13.6% higher top tax rate

Syria has a top tax rate of 22.0% as of 2016. In Botswana, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 6.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Syria, approximately 30.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 58.7% more likely to die during infancy

In Syria, approximately 15.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Botswana, on the other hand, 25.2 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 58.8% more likely to have internet access

In Syria, approximately 46.6% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Botswana, about 74.0% do as of 2021.

be 14.7% less likely to have access to electricity

In Syria, approximately 89% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 76% of people on average (93% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 70.6% more on education

Syria spends 5.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2009. Botswana spends 8.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Syria, Botswana Unified Revenue Service.

Botswana: At a glance

Botswana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 566,730 sq km. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
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How big is Botswana compared to Syria? See an in-depth size comparison.

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