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

Health

live 2.2 years longer

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

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be 54.0% less likely to be obese

In Afghanistan, 20.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Uganda, that number is 9.5% of people as of 2024.

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have 19.5% more access to essential health services

Afghanistan scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Uganda scores 49 as of 2021.

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be 49.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Afghanistan, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Uganda, that number is 4.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 57.9% less spent on your healthcare

Afghanistan spends $330 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Uganda spends $139 as of 2023.

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have 39.7% fewer doctors per person

Afghanistan has 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Uganda has 1.9 as of 2022.

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be 52.8% more likely to die by suicide

Afghanistan has a suicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Uganda, it is 5.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 79.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 13.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Uganda, that number is 2.8% as of 2025.

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make 2.9 times more money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $417 as of 2024, while in Uganda, the GDP per capita is $1,206 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 Uganda, 170.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.1 times more likely to be literate

In Afghanistan, the literacy rate is 37.3% as of 2021. In Uganda, it is 77.0% as of 2024.

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be 25.7% 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 Uganda, on the other hand, 35.9 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 39.6% less 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 Uganda, that number is 52% of people on average (76% in urban areas, and 42% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 44.4% less likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 16.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Uganda, about 8.9% do as of 2024.

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be 22.0% less 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 Uganda, that number is 63% of people on average (80% in urban areas, and 57% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 11.7% less on education

Afghanistan spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Uganda spends 2.6% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 71.7% less on healthcare

Afghanistan spends 15.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Uganda, that number is 4.2% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 33.6% less likely to die in a road accident

In Afghanistan, road accidents kill 24.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Uganda, they kill 16.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.2 times more likely to be murdered

Afghanistan has a homicide rate of 4.0 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Uganda, that number is 9.0 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 2.6 times more home broadband

Afghanistan has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Uganda has 0.2 as of 2024.

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live with 89.4% less strain on fresh water

Afghanistan withdraws 55% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Uganda withdraws 6% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 58.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Afghanistan, air pollution causes 143.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Uganda, it causes 60.0 as of 2019.

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emit 39.3% less CO2

Afghanistan emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Uganda emits 0.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this

Uganda: At a glance

Uganda is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 197,100 sq km. The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the establishment of a working political community after independence was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986 has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. A constitutional referendum in 2005 cancelled a 19-year ban on multi-party politics.
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How big is Uganda compared to Afghanistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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