If you lived in Paraguay instead of Cameroon, you would:

Health

be 80.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Cameroon, 2.5% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2024.

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live 10.0 years longer

In Cameroon, the average life expectancy is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 74 years (71 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 6.0 times more spent on your healthcare

Cameroon spends $246 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Paraguay spends $1,469 as of 2023.

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have 28.6 times more doctors per person

Cameroon has 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Paraguay has 38.9 as of 2022.

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have 63.6% more access to essential health services

Cameroon scores 44 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Paraguay scores 72 as of 2021.

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be 25.2% less likely to die by suicide

Cameroon has a suicide rate of 8.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Paraguay, it is 6.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.2 times more likely to be obese

In Cameroon, 16.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 34.7% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 3.6 times more money

Cameroon has a GDP per capita of $1,972 as of 2025, while in Paraguay, the GDP per capita is $7,027 as of 2025.

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be 33.3% more likely to be unemployed

In Cameroon, 3.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Paraguay, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.

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Life

be 77.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Cameroon, approximately 258.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Paraguay, 58.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 63.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Cameroon, approximately 40.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Paraguay, on the other hand, 14.5 children do as of 2024.

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have 40.8% fewer children

In Cameroon, there are approximately 33.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Paraguay, there are 19.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 38.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In Cameroon, approximately 72% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 26% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Paraguay, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 76.4% more likely to have internet access

In Cameroon, approximately 46.3% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Paraguay, about 81.6% do as of 2024.

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be 39.5% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Cameroon, approximately 71% of people have access to drinking water (82% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 24.3% more on education

Cameroon spends 2.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Paraguay spends 3.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 83.7% more on healthcare

Cameroon spends 4.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Paraguay, that number is 8.4% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 98.1% more likely to die in a road accident

In Cameroon, road accidents kill 10.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Paraguay, they kill 21.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 6.0 times more home broadband

Cameroon has 2.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Paraguay has 12.9 as of 2023.

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use 10.6 times more electricity

Cameroon uses 226 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Paraguay uses 2,389 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 17.9% more strain on fresh water

Cameroon withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Paraguay withdraws 2% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 75.2% less likely to die from air pollution

In Cameroon, air pollution causes 101.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Paraguay, it causes 25.0 as of 2019.

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emit 3.3 times more CO2

Cameroon emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Paraguay emits 1.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Paraguay: At a glance

Paraguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 397,302 sq km. Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811. In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - Paraguay lost two-thirds of its adult males and much of its territory. The country stagnated economically for the next half century. Following the Chaco War of 1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of the Chaco lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since the country's return to democracy.
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How big is Paraguay compared to Cameroon? See an in-depth size comparison.

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