Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Samoa instead of Botswana, you would:
Health
live 2.5 years longer
In Botswana, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Samoa, that number is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.
have 48.0% more doctors per person
Botswana has 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Samoa has 5.6 as of 2021.
be 3.2 times more likely to be obese
In Botswana, 19.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Samoa, that number is 64.3% of people as of 2024.
see 63.8% less spent on your healthcare
Botswana spends $1,310 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Samoa spends $475 as of 2023.
be 43.7% more likely to die by suicide
Botswana has a suicide rate of 8.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Samoa, it is 12.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.
Economy
be 79.6% less likely to be unemployed
In Botswana, 24.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Samoa, that number is 5.0% as of 2025.
be 36.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Botswana, 16.1% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Samoa, however, that number is 21.9% as of 2018.
make 24.5% less money
Botswana has a GDP per capita of $7,778 as of 2025, while in Samoa, the GDP per capita is $5,873 as of 2025.
Life
be 34.8% 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 Samoa, 101.0 women do as of 2023.
be 61.7% 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 Samoa, on the other hand, 12.3 children do as of 2024.
Basic Needs
be 31.6% 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 Samoa, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.
be 31.0% more likely to have internet access
In Botswana, approximately 57.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Samoa, about 75.3% do as of 2022.
Safety
be 44.9% less likely to be murdered
Botswana has a homicide rate of 11.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Samoa, that number is 6.3 per 100,000 as of 2018.
be 41.8% less likely to die in a road accident
In Botswana, road accidents kill 16.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Samoa, they kill 9.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.
Infrastructure
find 88.2% less home broadband
Botswana has 7.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Samoa has 0.9 as of 2022.
Environment
be 38.2% less likely to die from air pollution
In Botswana, air pollution causes 55.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Samoa, it causes 34.0 as of 2019.
emit 41.6% less CO2
Botswana emits 2.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Samoa emits 1.6 tonnes as of 2024.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this
Compare further: Botswana vs. Samoa
Samoa: At a glance
How big is Samoa compared to Botswana? See an in-depth size comparison.