Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 3.5 years longer

In Turkmenistan, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 75 years for women) as of 2022. In Uzbekistan, that number is 75 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

be 10.8% less likely to be obese

In Turkmenistan, 18.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Uzbekistan, that number is 16.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 40.1% less money

Turkmenistan has a GDP per capita of $14,700 as of 2022, while in Uzbekistan, the GDP per capita is $8,800 as of 2023.

be 70.0 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Turkmenistan, 0.2% live below the poverty line as of 2012. In Uzbekistan, however, that number is 14.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 49.5% 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 Uzbekistan, on the other hand, 19.0 children do as of 2022.

have 22.0% more children

In Turkmenistan, there are approximately 16.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Uzbekistan, there are 20.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 6.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Turkmenistan, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Uzbekistan, 30.0 women do as of 2020.

Basic Needs

be 98.0% more likely to have internet access

In Turkmenistan, approximately 25.3% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Uzbekistan, about 50.1% do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 58.1% more on education

Turkmenistan spends 3.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Uzbekistan spends 4.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 19.3% more on healthcare

Turkmenistan spends 5.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Uzbekistan, that number is 6.8% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Uzbekistan: At a glance

Uzbekistan is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 425,400 sq km. Russia conquered the territory of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country has lessened its dependence on the cotton monoculture by diversifying agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base. However, longserving septuagenarian President Islom KARIMOV, who rose through the ranks of the Soviet-era State Planning Committee (Gosplan), remains wedded to the concepts of a command economy, creating a challenging environment for foreign investment. Current concerns include post-KARIMOV succession, terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.
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