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

Health

be 92.4% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Botswana, 15.7% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Belize, that number is 1.2% of people as of 2024.

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live 4.4 years longer

In Botswana, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Belize, that number is 74 years (71 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 23.6% more access to essential health services

Botswana scores 55 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Belize scores 68 as of 2021.

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be 49.9% less likely to die by suicide

Botswana has a suicide rate of 8.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Belize, it is 4.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.2 times more likely to be obese

In Botswana, 19.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Belize, that number is 43.4% of people as of 2024.

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see 56.2% less spent on your healthcare

Botswana spends $1,310 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Belize spends $573 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 63.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Botswana, 24.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Belize, that number is 8.9% as of 2025.

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be 3.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Botswana, 16.1% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Belize, however, that number is 52.0% as of 2018.

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Life

be 56.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In Botswana, approximately 155.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Belize, 67.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 66.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Botswana, approximately 32.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Belize, on the other hand, 10.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 25.9% fewer children

In Botswana, there are approximately 24.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Belize, there are 18.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 31.1% more likely to have access to electricity

In Botswana, approximately 76% of people have electricity access (98% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Belize, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 39.2% more likely to have internet access

In Botswana, approximately 57.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Belize, about 80.0% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 33.7% less on healthcare

Botswana spends 6.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Belize, that number is 4.2% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 2.5 times more likely to be murdered

Botswana has a homicide rate of 11.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Belize, that number is 28.1 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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Infrastructure

find 31.0% more home broadband

Botswana has 7.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Belize has 9.8 as of 2022.

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live with 43.5% less strain on fresh water

Botswana withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Belize withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 61.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Botswana, air pollution causes 55.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Belize, it causes 21.0 as of 2019.

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emit 66.1% less CO2

Botswana emits 2.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Belize emits 0.9 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Belize: At a glance

Belize is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 22,806 sq km. Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the country's heavy foreign debt burden, high unemployment, growing involvement in the Mexican and South American drug trade, high crime rates, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America.
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How big is Belize compared to Botswana? See an in-depth size comparison.

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