If you lived in Papua New Guinea instead of Zambia, you would:

Health

be 91.9% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 11.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 0.9% of people as of 2020.

live 3.2 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 69 years (68 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022.

be 2.6 times more likely to be obese

In Zambia, 8.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 21.3% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 13.5% more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $3,700 as of 2023, while in Papua New Guinea, the GDP per capita is $4,200 as of 2023.

be 55.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 2.6% as of 2023.

be 38.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zambia, 60.0% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Papua New Guinea, however, that number is 37.0% as of 2002.

pay a 20.0% higher top tax rate

Zambia has a top tax rate of 35.0% as of 2016. In Papua New Guinea, the top tax rate is 42.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 42.2% more likely to die during childbirth

In Zambia, approximately 135.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Papua New Guinea, 192.0 women do as of 2020.

be 26.0% less likely to be literate

In Zambia, the literacy rate is 86.7% as of 2018. In Papua New Guinea, it is 64.2% as of 2015.

have 17.6% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 34.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Papua New Guinea, there are 28.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 52.4% more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 21.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Papua New Guinea, about 32.0% do as of 2021.

be 60.3% less 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 Papua New Guinea, that number is 19% of people on average (65% in urban areas, and 14% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 33.7% less 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 Papua New Guinea, that number is 48% of people on average (86% in urban areas, and 42% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 62.2% less on education

Zambia spends 3.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Papua New Guinea spends 1.4% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 55.4% less on healthcare

Zambia spends 5.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 2.5% of GDP as of 2020.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Zambia Revenue Authority, Internal Revenue Commission, Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea: At a glance

Papua New Guinea (sometimes abbreviated PNG) is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 452,860 sq km. The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.
Read more

How big is Papua New Guinea compared to Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Papua New Guinea.or Zambia It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.