If you lived in Central African Republic instead of Aruba, you would:

Health

live 18.8 years less

In Aruba, the average life expectancy is 76 years (74 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 58 years (56 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

make 98.6% less money

Aruba has a GDP per capita of $38,591 as of 2024, while in Central African Republic, the GDP per capita is $556 as of 2025.

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Life

have 6.1 times more children

In Aruba, there are approximately 7.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Central African Republic, there are 46.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 61.7% less likely to be literate

In Aruba, the literacy rate is 97.8% as of 2018. In Central African Republic, it is 37.5% as of 2020.

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be 4.9 times more likely to die during infancy

In Aruba, approximately 12.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Central African Republic, on the other hand, 58.8 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 82.4% less likely to have access to electricity

In Aruba, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 18% of people on average (37% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 85.8% less likely to have internet access

In Aruba, approximately 97.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Central African Republic, about 13.8% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 49.4% less on education

Aruba spends 3.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Central African Republic spends 1.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Safety

be 10.6 times more likely to be murdered

Aruba has a homicide rate of 1.9 per 100,000 people as of 2014. In Central African Republic, that number is 20.1 per 100,000 as of 2016.

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Infrastructure

find 99.9% less home broadband

Aruba has 17.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Central African Republic has 0.0 as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 98.8% less CO2

Aruba emits 5.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Central African Republic emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), The World Factbook (2018–2022), United Nations SDG Indicators (2014). How we calculate this

Central African Republic: At a glance

Central African Republic is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 622,984 sq km. The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March, 2003 President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as flawed. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. The militant group the Lord's Resistance Army continues to destabilize southeastern Central African Republic, and several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - who are unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership. In March 2013, the coalition government dissolved, rebels seized the capital, and President BOZIZE fled the country. Rebel leader Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency, reappointed Nicolas TIANGAYE as Prime Minister, and established a transitional government on 31 March. On 13 April 2013, the National Transitional Council affirmed DJOTODIA as President.
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