If you lived in Malaysia instead of Belize, you would:

Health

be 75.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Belize, 1.2% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Malaysia, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2024.

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live 3.1 years longer

In Belize, the average life expectancy is 74 years (71 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024. In Malaysia, that number is 77 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 46.3% less likely to be obese

In Belize, 43.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Malaysia, that number is 23.3% of people as of 2024.

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see 2.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Belize spends $573 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Malaysia spends $1,441 as of 2023.

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have 11.8% more access to essential health services

Belize scores 68 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Malaysia scores 76 as of 2021.

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be 35.2% more likely to die by suicide

Belize has a suicide rate of 4.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Malaysia, it is 5.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 57.6% less likely to be unemployed

In Belize, 8.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Malaysia, that number is 3.8% as of 2025.

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make 66.9% more money

Belize has a GDP per capita of $7,865 as of 2025, while in Malaysia, the GDP per capita is $13,125 as of 2025.

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Life

be 61.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Belize, approximately 67.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Malaysia, 26.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 35.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Belize, approximately 10.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Malaysia, on the other hand, 7.0 children do as of 2024.

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have 31.5% fewer children

In Belize, there are approximately 18.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Malaysia, there are 12.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 22.5% more likely to have internet access

In Belize, approximately 80.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Malaysia, about 98.0% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 24.0% less on education

Belize spends 4.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Malaysia spends 3.5% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Geography

see 12.1 times more coastline

Belize has a total of 386 km of coastline. In Malaysia, that number is 4,675 km.

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Safety

be 97.4% less likely to be murdered

Belize has a homicide rate of 28.1 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Malaysia, that number is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 20.6% less likely to die in a road accident

In Belize, road accidents kill 17.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Malaysia, they kill 13.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 39.0% more home broadband

Belize has 9.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Malaysia has 13.6 as of 2024.

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live with 2.7 times more strain on fresh water

Belize withdraws 1% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Malaysia withdraws 3% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 3.0 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Belize, air pollution causes 21.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Malaysia, it causes 63.0 as of 2019.

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emit 8.9 times more CO2

Belize emits 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Malaysia emits 8.3 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. How we calculate this

Malaysia: At a glance

Malaysia is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 328,657 sq km. During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula except Singapore formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore, as well as Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo, joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's independence were marred by a communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's withdrawal in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to the development of manufacturing, services, and tourism. Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (in office since April 2009) has continued these pro-business policies and has introduced some civil reforms.
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