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

Health

live 14.3 years longer

In Cameroon, the average life expectancy is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024. In Uruguay, that number is 78 years (74 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 12.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Cameroon spends $246 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Uruguay spends $3,135 as of 2023.

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have 34.4 times more doctors per person

Cameroon has 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Uruguay has 46.7 as of 2022.

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have 86.4% more access to essential health services

Cameroon scores 44 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Uruguay scores 82 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 Uruguay, that number is 35.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 2.9 times more likely to die by suicide

Cameroon has a suicide rate of 8.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Uruguay, it is 24.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 54.1% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Cameroon, 37.7% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Uruguay, however, that number is 17.3% as of 2024.

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make 12.8 times more money

Cameroon has a GDP per capita of $1,972 as of 2025, while in Uruguay, the GDP per capita is $25,216 as of 2025.

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be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Cameroon, 3.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Uruguay, that number is 7.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 94.2% 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 Uruguay, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 84.6% 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 Uruguay, on the other hand, 6.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 70.6% fewer children

In Cameroon, there are approximately 33.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Uruguay, there are 9.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 38.9% 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 Uruguay, 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 98.9% more likely to have internet access

In Cameroon, approximately 46.3% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Uruguay, about 92.0% 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 Uruguay, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 67.6% more on education

Cameroon spends 2.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Uruguay spends 4.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 98.2% more on healthcare

Cameroon spends 4.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Uruguay, that number is 9.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 64.2% more coastline

Cameroon has a total of 402 km of coastline. In Uruguay, that number is 660 km.

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Safety

be 66.4% more likely to be murdered

Cameroon has a homicide rate of 6.8 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Uruguay, that number is 11.2 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 22.6% more likely to die in a road accident

In Cameroon, road accidents kill 10.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Uruguay, they kill 13.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 15.5 times more home broadband

Cameroon has 2.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Uruguay has 33.0 as of 2024.

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use 16.8 times more electricity

Cameroon uses 226 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Uruguay uses 3,790 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 7.7 times more strain on fresh water

Cameroon withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Uruguay withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 84.2% less likely to die from air pollution

In Cameroon, air pollution causes 101.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Uruguay, it causes 16.0 as of 2019.

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emit 7.3 times more CO2

Cameroon emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Uruguay emits 2.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Uruguay: At a glance

Uruguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 175,015 sq km. Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
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