Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Botswana instead of Jamaica, you would:

Health

be 23.5% less likely to be obese

In Jamaica, 24.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

be 14.2 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Jamaica, 1.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2020.

live 10.1 years less

In Jamaica, the average life expectancy is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 83.9% more money

Jamaica has a GDP per capita of $8,700 as of 2020, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $16,000 as of 2020.

be 2.6 times more likely to be unemployed

In Jamaica, 7.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2019. In Botswana, that number is 20.0% as of 2013.

be 12.9% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Jamaica, 17.1% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Botswana, however, that number is 19.3% as of 2009.

Life

have 27.5% more children

In Jamaica, there are approximately 15.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Botswana, there are 20.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 80.0% more likely to die during childbirth

In Jamaica, approximately 80.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Botswana, 144.0 women do as of 2017.

be 2.3 times more likely to die during infancy

In Jamaica, approximately 11.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Botswana, on the other hand, 25.2 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 16.4% more likely to have internet access

In Jamaica, approximately 55.0% of the population has internet access as of 2019. In Botswana, about 64.0% do as of 2020.

be 40.4% less likely to have access to electricity

In Jamaica, approximately 99% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2019. In Botswana, that number is 59% of people on average (71% in urban areas, and 29% in rural areas) as of 2019.

Expenditures

spend 27.8% more on education

Jamaica spends 5.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Botswana spends 6.9% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

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

Botswana: At a glance

Botswana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 566,730 sq km. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
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How big is Botswana compared to Jamaica? See an in-depth size comparison.

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