Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Kiribati instead of Tuvalu, you would:

Health

be 10.9% less likely to be obese

In Tuvalu, 51.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Kiribati, that number is 46.0% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 16.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Tuvalu, 26.3% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Kiribati, however, that number is 21.9% as of 2020.

make 38.5% less money

Tuvalu has a GDP per capita of $5,200 as of 2023, while in Kiribati, the GDP per capita is $3,200 as of 2023.

Life

be 13.9% more likely to die during infancy

In Tuvalu, approximately 28.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Kiribati, on the other hand, 32.9 children do as of 2022.

have 13.2% fewer children

In Tuvalu, there are approximately 22.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Kiribati, there are 19.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 10.2% more likely to have internet access

In Tuvalu, approximately 49.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Kiribati, about 54.0% do as of 2021.

be 18.0% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Tuvalu, approximately 100% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Kiribati, that number is 82% of people on average (97% in urban areas, and 63% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 46.0% less on healthcare

Tuvalu spends 21.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Kiribati, that number is 11.6% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 47.6 times more coastline

Tuvalu has a total of 24 km of coastline. In Kiribati, that number is 1,143 km.

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

Kiribati: At a glance

Kiribati is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 811 sq km. The Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate in 1892 and a colony in 1915; they were captured by the Japanese in the Pacific War in 1941. The islands of Makin and Tarawa were the sites of major US amphibious victories over entrenched Japanese garrisons in 1943. The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.
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How big is Kiribati compared to Tuvalu? See an in-depth size comparison.

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