Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Zambia instead of Botswana, you would:
Health
be 40.1% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS
In Botswana, 15.7% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Zambia, that number is 9.4% of people as of 2024.
be 41.5% less likely to be obese
In Botswana, 19.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Zambia, that number is 11.6% of people as of 2024.
be 14.6% less likely to die by suicide
Botswana has a suicide rate of 8.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Zambia, it is 7.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.
live 2.8 years less
In Botswana, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Zambia, that number is 67 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2024.
see 81.4% less spent on your healthcare
Botswana spends $1,310 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Zambia spends $244 as of 2023.
have 14.5% fewer doctors per person
Botswana has 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Zambia has 3.2 as of 2022.
Economy
be 75.8% less likely to be unemployed
In Botswana, 24.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Zambia, that number is 5.9% as of 2025.
make 83.1% less money
Botswana has a GDP per capita of $7,778 as of 2025, while in Zambia, the GDP per capita is $1,318 as of 2025.
Life
be 45.2% 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 Zambia, 85.0 women do as of 2023.
have 34.3% more children
In Botswana, there are approximately 24.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Zambia, there are 32.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.
Basic Needs
be 32.8% 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 Zambia, that number is 51% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 18% in rural areas) as of 2023.
be 70.2% less likely to have internet access
In Botswana, approximately 57.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Zambia, about 17.1% do as of 2024.
be 20.0% less likely to have access to drinking water
In Botswana, approximately 92% of people have access to drinking water (97% in urban areas, and 78% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Zambia, that number is 73% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 58% in rural areas) as of 2024.
Expenditures
spend 49.5% less on education
Botswana spends 8.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Zambia spends 4.1% of total GDP on education as of 2023.
Infrastructure
find 89.4% less home broadband
Botswana has 7.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Zambia has 0.8 as of 2024.
live with 27.4% more strain on fresh water
Botswana withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Zambia withdraws 3% as of 2022.
use 55.7% less electricity
Botswana uses 1,641 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Zambia uses 727 kWh as of 2023.
Environment
emit 80.3% less CO2
Botswana emits 2.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Zambia emits 0.5 tonnes as of 2024.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this
Compare further: Botswana vs. Zambia
Zambia: At a glance
How big is Zambia compared to Botswana? See an in-depth size comparison.