Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Sri Lanka instead of Afghanistan, you would:
Health
live 23.9 years longer
In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 54 years (52 years for men, 55 years for women) as of 2022. In Sri Lanka, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 6.2 times more money
Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $2,000 as of 2020, while in Sri Lanka, the GDP per capita is $12,500 as of 2020.
be 79.8% less likely to be unemployed
In Afghanistan, 23.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Sri Lanka, that number is 4.8% as of 2019.
be 92.5% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Afghanistan, 54.5% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Sri Lanka, however, that number is 4.1% as of 2016.
pay a 25.0% lower top tax rate
Afghanistan has a top tax rate of 20.0% as of 2016. In Sri Lanka, the top tax rate is 15.0% as of 2016.
Life
be 94.4% less likely to die during childbirth
In Afghanistan, approximately 638.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Sri Lanka, 36.0 women do as of 2017.
be 2.5 times more likely to be literate
In Afghanistan, the literacy rate is 37.3% as of 2021. In Sri Lanka, it is 92.3% as of 2019.
be 92.2% 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 Sri Lanka, on the other hand, 8.2 children do as of 2022.
have 61.1% fewer children
In Afghanistan, there are approximately 35.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Sri Lanka, there are 13.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.
Basic Needs
be 94.4% more likely to have internet access
In Afghanistan, approximately 18.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Sri Lanka, about 35.0% do as of 2020.
be 21.3% more likely to have access to improved drinking water
In Afghanistan, approximately 76% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 68% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Sri Lanka, that number is 93% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 91% in rural areas) as of 2020.
Expenditures
spend 34.4% less on education
Afghanistan spends 3.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Sri Lanka spends 2.1% of total GDP on education as of 2018.
spend 68.9% less on healthcare
Afghanistan spends 13.2% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2019. In Sri Lanka, that number is 4.1% of GDP as of 2019.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Afghanistan Revenue Department, Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department.
Sri Lanka: At a glance
How big is Sri Lanka compared to Afghanistan? See an in-depth size comparison.