Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 6.2 years less

In Turkmenistan, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 75 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 19.0% more money

Turkmenistan has a GDP per capita of $14,700 as of 2022, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 5.7 times more likely to be unemployed

In Turkmenistan, 4.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

be 80.5 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Turkmenistan, 0.2% live below the poverty line as of 2012. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

Life

be 33.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Turkmenistan, approximately 37.6 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.

have 16.7% more children

In Turkmenistan, there are approximately 16.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Botswana, there are 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 37.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Turkmenistan, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 11.2% less likely to be literate

In Turkmenistan, the literacy rate is 99.7% as of 2015. In Botswana, it is 88.5% as of 2015.

Basic Needs

be 2.9 times more likely to have internet access

In Turkmenistan, approximately 25.3% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Botswana, about 74.0% do as of 2021.

be 24.1% less likely to have access to electricity

In Turkmenistan, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Botswana, 76% of the population do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 2.8 times more on education

Turkmenistan spends 3.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. 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.

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 Turkmenistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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