If you lived in Tuvalu instead of Afghanistan, you would:

Health

live 1.0 years longer

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Tuvalu, that number is 67 years (64 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 5.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Afghanistan spends $330 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Tuvalu spends $1,671 as of 2023.

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have 4.2 times more doctors per person

Afghanistan has 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Tuvalu has 13.5 as of 2020.

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have 26.8% more access to essential health services

Afghanistan scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Tuvalu scores 52 as of 2021.

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be 3.2 times more likely to be obese

In Afghanistan, 20.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Tuvalu, that number is 65.1% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 14.5 times more money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $417 as of 2024, while in Tuvalu, the GDP per capita is $6,041 as of 2025.

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Life

be 67.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Afghanistan, approximately 521.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Tuvalu, 170.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.7 times more likely to be literate

In Afghanistan, the literacy rate is 37.3% as of 2021. In Tuvalu, it is 100.0% as of 2022.

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be 65.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 48.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Tuvalu, on the other hand, 16.5 children do as of 2024.

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have 37.2% fewer children

In Afghanistan, there are approximately 35.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Tuvalu, there are 22.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 17.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Afghanistan, approximately 85% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Tuvalu, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 5.0 times more likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 16.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Tuvalu, about 81.2% do as of 2022.

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be 22.2% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Afghanistan, approximately 81% of people have access to drinking water (97% in urban areas, and 75% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Tuvalu, that number is 99% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 4.4 times more on education

Afghanistan spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Tuvalu spends 12.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 80.7% more on healthcare

Afghanistan spends 15.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Tuvalu, that number is 27.1% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 25.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Afghanistan, road accidents kill 24.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Tuvalu, they kill 17.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 56.5 times more home broadband

Afghanistan has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Tuvalu has 4.5 as of 2022.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this

Tuvalu: At a glance

Tuvalu is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 26 sq km. In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period.
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How big is Tuvalu compared to Afghanistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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