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

Health

be 96.2% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Botswana, 15.7% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 0.6% of people as of 2024.

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live 8.6 years longer

In Botswana, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 34.2% more spent on your healthcare

Botswana spends $1,310 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Colombia spends $1,758 as of 2024.

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have 6.7 times more doctors per person

Botswana has 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Colombia has 25.4 as of 2023.

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have 45.5% more access to essential health services

Botswana scores 55 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Colombia scores 80 as of 2021.

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be 40.6% less likely to die by suicide

Botswana has a suicide rate of 8.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Colombia, it is 5.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 25.8% more likely to be obese

In Botswana, 19.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 24.9% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 66.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Botswana, 24.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Colombia, that number is 8.3% as of 2025.

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make 10.1% more money

Botswana has a GDP per capita of $7,778 as of 2025, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $8,562 as of 2025.

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Life

be 61.9% 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 Colombia, 59.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 67.3% 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 Colombia, on the other hand, 10.5 children do as of 2024.

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have 45.6% fewer children

In Botswana, there are approximately 24.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Colombia, there are 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 29.9% 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 Colombia, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 38.1% more likely to have internet access

In Botswana, approximately 57.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Colombia, about 79.3% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 34.7% less on education

Botswana spends 8.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Colombia spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

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spend 30.0% more on healthcare

Botswana spends 6.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Colombia, that number is 8.1% of GDP as of 2024.

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Safety

be 2.2 times more likely to be murdered

Botswana has a homicide rate of 11.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Colombia, that number is 24.9 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 2.3 times more home broadband

Botswana has 7.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Colombia has 17.2 as of 2024.

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live with 62.8% more strain on fresh water

Botswana withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Colombia withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 56.4% less likely to die from air pollution

In Botswana, air pollution causes 55.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Colombia, it causes 24.0 as of 2019.

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emit 34.3% less CO2

Botswana emits 2.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Colombia emits 1.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Colombia: At a glance

Colombia is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,038,700 sq km. Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. In November 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
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How big is Colombia compared to Botswana? See an in-depth size comparison.

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