Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Ecuador instead of United States, you would:

Health

be 45.0% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Ecuador, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2016.

live 3.1 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2022. In Ecuador, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.

Economy

pay a 11.6% lower top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Ecuador, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

make 80.6% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $73,600 as of 2023, while in Ecuador, the GDP per capita is $14,300 as of 2023.

be 66.9% more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Ecuador, however, that number is 25.2% as of 2022.

Life

have 45.1% more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Ecuador, there are 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 3.1 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 21.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Ecuador, 66.0 women do as of 2020.

be 3.5 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Ecuador, on the other hand, 18.1 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 17.4% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 92.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Ecuador, about 76.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 39.3% less on education

United States spends 6.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Ecuador spends 3.7% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 54.8% less on healthcare

United States spends 18.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Ecuador, that number is 8.5% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 88.8% less coastline

United States has a total of 19,924 km of coastline. In Ecuador, that number is 2,237 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Internal Revenue Service, Servicio de Rentas Internas del Ecuador.

Ecuador: At a glance

Ecuador is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 276,841 sq km. What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador's 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, and voters re-elected President Rafael CORREA.
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