If you lived in Madagascar instead of Burma, you would:

Health

be 44.5% less likely to be obese

In Burma, 8.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Madagascar, that number is 4.5% of people as of 2024.

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live 3.2 years less

In Burma, the average life expectancy is 67 years (64 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In Madagascar, that number is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 77.8% less spent on your healthcare

Burma spends $283 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Madagascar spends $63 as of 2023.

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have 77.3% fewer doctors per person

Burma has 7.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2019. Madagascar has 1.7 as of 2022.

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have 32.7% less access to essential health services

Burma scores 52 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Madagascar scores 35 as of 2021.

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be 2.1 times more likely to die by suicide

Burma has a suicide rate of 2.9 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Madagascar, it is 6.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 59.8% less money

Burma has a GDP per capita of $1,489 as of 2025, while in Madagascar, the GDP per capita is $599 as of 2025.

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Life

have 92.6% more children

In Burma, there are approximately 16.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Madagascar, there are 31.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 2.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Burma, approximately 185.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Madagascar, 445.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 20.1% less likely to be literate

In Burma, the literacy rate is 93.5% as of 2020. In Madagascar, it is 74.7% as of 2021.

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be 31.1% more likely to die during infancy

In Burma, approximately 32.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Madagascar, on the other hand, 43.0 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 48.7% less likely to have access to electricity

In Burma, approximately 77% of people have electricity access (95% in urban areas, and 69% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Madagascar, that number is 39% of people on average (76% in urban areas, and 15% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 57.5% less likely to have internet access

In Burma, approximately 44.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Madagascar, about 18.7% do as of 2024.

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be 35.4% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Burma, approximately 86% of people have access to drinking water (96% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Madagascar, that number is 55% of people on average (78% in urban areas, and 39% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 23.1% less on healthcare

Burma spends 4.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Madagascar, that number is 3.4% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 2.5 times more coastline

Burma has a total of 1,930 km of coastline. In Madagascar, that number is 4,828 km.

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Safety

be 16.6% more likely to die in a road accident

In Burma, road accidents kill 19.3 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Madagascar, they kill 22.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 95.8% less home broadband

Burma has 2.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Madagascar has 0.1 as of 2023.

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live with 94.1% more strain on fresh water

Burma withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Madagascar withdraws 11% as of 2022.

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use 78.3% less electricity

Burma uses 368 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Madagascar uses 80 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 18.3% less likely to die from air pollution

In Burma, air pollution causes 71.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Madagascar, it causes 58.0 as of 2019.

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emit 74.1% less CO2

Burma emits 0.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Madagascar emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Madagascar: At a glance

Madagascar is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 581,540 sq km. Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA achieved a second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006. In early 2009, protests over increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA handing over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA defeated RAVALOMANANA's favored candidate Jean-Louis ROBINSON in a presidential runoff and was inaugurated in January 2014. Most international observers, while noting some irregularities, declared polls to be a credible reflection of the Malagasy public's will.
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