If you lived in Equatorial Guinea instead of Botswana, you would:

Health

be 15.8% less likely to die by suicide

Botswana has a suicide rate of 8.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Equatorial Guinea, it is 7.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 5.4 years less

In Botswana, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 53.5% less spent on your healthcare

Botswana spends $1,310 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Equatorial Guinea spends $609 as of 2023.

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have 59.6% fewer doctors per person

Botswana has 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Equatorial Guinea has 1.5 as of 2022.

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have 16.4% less access to essential health services

Botswana scores 55 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Equatorial Guinea scores 46 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 65.9% less likely to be unemployed

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

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make 15.0% less money

Botswana has a GDP per capita of $7,778 as of 2025, while in Equatorial Guinea, the GDP per capita is $6,615 as of 2025.

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Life

have 23.1% more children

In Botswana, there are approximately 24.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Equatorial Guinea, there are 30.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 48.3% more 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 Equatorial Guinea, on the other hand, 47.6 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 10.2% more likely to have internet access

In Botswana, approximately 57.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Equatorial Guinea, about 63.3% do as of 2024.

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be 12.0% less 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 Equatorial Guinea, that number is 67% of people on average (89% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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Expenditures

spend 44.1% less on healthcare

Botswana spends 6.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Equatorial Guinea, that number is 3.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 29.1% less likely to die in a road accident

In Botswana, road accidents kill 16.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Equatorial Guinea, they kill 11.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 91.9% less strain on fresh water

Botswana withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Equatorial Guinea withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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find 98.7% less home broadband

Botswana has 7.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Equatorial Guinea has 0.1 as of 2022.

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use 51.7% less electricity

Botswana uses 1,641 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Equatorial Guinea uses 792 kWh as of 2023.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this

Equatorial Guinea: At a glance

Equatorial Guinea is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 28,051 sq km. Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro Obiang NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996, 2002, and 2009 presidential elections - as well as the 1999, 2004, 2008, and 2013 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production, resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, improvements in the population's living standards have been slow to develop.
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