Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 11.9 years longer

In Botswana, the average life expectancy is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022. In Tonga, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2022.

be 2.6 times more likely to be obese

In Botswana, 18.9% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Tonga, that number is 48.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 94.5% less likely to be unemployed

In Botswana, 20.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2013. In Tonga, that number is 1.1% as of 2011.

make 60.0% less money

Botswana has a GDP per capita of $16,000 as of 2020, while in Tonga, the GDP per capita is $6,400 as of 2019.

be 16.6% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Botswana, 19.3% live below the poverty line as of 2009. In Tonga, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2010.

Life

be 63.9% less likely to die during childbirth

In Botswana, approximately 144.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Tonga, 52.0 women do as of 2017.

be 12.3% more likely to be literate

In Botswana, the literacy rate is 88.5% as of 2015. In Tonga, it is 99.4% as of 2018.

be 50.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Botswana, approximately 25.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Tonga, on the other hand, 12.4 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 67.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In Botswana, approximately 59% of people have electricity access (71% in urban areas, and 29% in rural areas) as of 2019. In Tonga, that number is 99% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2018.

be 35.9% less likely to have internet access

In Botswana, approximately 64.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Tonga, about 41.0% do as of 2019.

Expenditures

spend 18.0% less on healthcare

Botswana spends 6.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2019. In Tonga, that number is 5.0% of GDP as of 2019.

spend 15.9% more on education

Botswana spends 6.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Tonga spends 8.0% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Tonga: At a glance

Tonga is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 717 sq km. Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
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How big is Tonga compared to Botswana? See an in-depth size comparison.

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