Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Hong Kong instead of Afghanistan, you would:

Health

live 30.0 years longer

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 54 years (52 years for men, 55 years for women) as of 2022. In Hong Kong, that number is 84 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 28.1 times more money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $2,000 as of 2020, while in Hong Kong, the GDP per capita is $56,200 as of 2020.

be 87.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 23.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Hong Kong, that number is 2.9% as of 2019.

be 63.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Afghanistan, 54.5% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Hong Kong, however, that number is 19.9% as of 2016.

pay a 25.0% lower top tax rate

Afghanistan has a top tax rate of 20.0% as of 2016. In Hong Kong, the top tax rate is 15.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 97.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 104.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Hong Kong, on the other hand, 2.5 children do as of 2022.

have 77.3% fewer children

In Afghanistan, there are approximately 35.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Hong Kong, there are 8.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 5.1 times more likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 18.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Hong Kong, about 92.0% do as of 2020.

be 30.7% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Afghanistan, approximately 76% of people have improved drinking water access as of 2020. In Hong Kong, 100% of people do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 37.5% more on education

Afghanistan spends 3.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Hong Kong spends 4.4% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Afghanistan Revenue Department, Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong.

Hong Kong: At a glance

Hong Kong (sometimes abbreviated HK) is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 1,073 sq km. Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the subsequent 50 years.
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How big is Hong Kong compared to Afghanistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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