Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Colombia instead of Zambia, you would:

Health

be 96.4% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 11.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Colombia, that number is 0.4% of people as of 2020.

live 8.6 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022. In Colombia, that number is 75 years (71 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2022.

be 2.8 times more likely to be obese

In Zambia, 8.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Colombia, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 5.1 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $3,700 as of 2023, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $18,800 as of 2023.

be 39.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zambia, 60.0% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Colombia, however, that number is 36.6% as of 2022.

be 61.9% more likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Colombia, that number is 9.6% as of 2023.

Life

be 44.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Zambia, approximately 135.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Colombia, 75.0 women do as of 2020.

be 10.3% more likely to be literate

In Zambia, the literacy rate is 86.7% as of 2018. In Colombia, it is 95.6% as of 2020.

be 68.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Zambia, approximately 37.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Colombia, on the other hand, 11.7 children do as of 2022.

have 56.3% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 34.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Colombia, there are 14.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 2.1 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Zambia, approximately 48% of people have electricity access (86% in urban areas, and 14% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Colombia, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 3.5 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 21.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Colombia, about 73.0% do as of 2021.

be 36.5% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 72% of people have improved drinking water access (90% in urban areas, and 57% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Colombia, that number is 98% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 88% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 32.4% more on education

Zambia spends 3.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Colombia spends 4.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 60.7% more on healthcare

Zambia spends 5.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Colombia, that number is 9.0% of GDP as of 2020.

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

Colombia: At a glance

Colombia is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,038,700 sq km. Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. In November 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
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How big is Colombia compared to Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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