If you lived in Zambia instead of American Samoa, you would:

Health

be 84.7% less likely to be obese

In American Samoa, 75.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Zambia, that number is 11.6% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

live 6.5 years less

In American Samoa, the average life expectancy is 73 years (70 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024. In Zambia, that number is 67 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 92.7% less money

American Samoa has a GDP per capita of $18,017 as of 2022, while in Zambia, the GDP per capita is $1,318 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

have 2.2 times more children

In American Samoa, there are approximately 15.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Zambia, there are 32.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 3.4 times more likely to die during infancy

In American Samoa, approximately 10.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Zambia, on the other hand, 34.6 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 13.4% less likely to have access to electricity

In American Samoa, approximately 59% of people have electricity access (60% in urban areas, and 45% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 51% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 18% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 57.6% less likely to have internet access

In American Samoa, approximately 40.3% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Zambia, about 17.1% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 26.6% less likely to have access to drinking water

In American Samoa, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Zambia, 73% of people do as of 2024.

View global rankings →


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

Zambia: At a glance

Zambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 743,398 sq km. The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected president in September 2011.
Read more

How big is Zambia compared to American Samoa? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Zambia or American Samoa. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.