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

Health

be 95.5% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 11.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Portugal, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2020.

live 15.2 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022. In Portugal, that number is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 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 Portugal, that number is 20.8% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 11.3 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $3,700 as of 2023, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $41,700 as of 2023.

be 72.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zambia, 60.0% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Portugal, however, that number is 16.4% as of 2021.

pay a 61.4% higher top tax rate

Zambia has a top tax rate of 35.0% as of 2016. In Portugal, the top tax rate is 56.5% as of 2016.

Life

be 91.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Zambia, approximately 135.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Portugal, 12.0 women do as of 2020.

be 10.6% more likely to be literate

In Zambia, the literacy rate is 86.7% as of 2018. In Portugal, it is 95.9% as of 2021.

be 93.3% 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 Portugal, on the other hand, 2.5 children do as of 2022.

have 76.2% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 34.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Portugal, there are 8.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020.

Basic Needs

be 2.1 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Zambia, approximately 48% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Portugal, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 3.9 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 21.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Portugal, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

be 39.5% 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 Portugal, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 35.1% more on education

Zambia spends 3.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Portugal spends 5.0% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 89.3% more on healthcare

Zambia spends 5.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Portugal, that number is 10.6% of GDP as of 2020.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Zambia Revenue Authority, Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira.

Portugal: At a glance

Portugal is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 91,470 sq km. Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
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How big is Portugal compared to Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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