If you lived in Swaziland instead of Canada, you would:

Health

be 234.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Canada, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2022. In Swaziland, that number is 23.4% of people as of 2024.

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live 17.8 years less

In Canada, the average life expectancy is 82 years (80 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024. In Swaziland, that number is 64 years (61 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 13.9% more likely to be obese

In Canada, 26.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Swaziland, that number is 29.6% of people as of 2024.

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see 87.9% less spent on your healthcare

Canada spends $7,646 per person on healthcare as of 2024 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Swaziland spends $922 as of 2023.

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have 80.2% fewer doctors per person

Canada has 28.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Swaziland has 5.6 as of 2023.

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have 38.5% less access to essential health services

Canada scores 91 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Swaziland scores 56 as of 2021.

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be 2.9 times more likely to die by suicide

Canada has a suicide rate of 9.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Swaziland, it is 27.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 4.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In Canada, 6.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Swaziland, that number is 34.2% as of 2025.

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make 92.6% less money

Canada has a GDP per capita of $55,698 as of 2025, while in Swaziland, the GDP per capita is $4,108 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.7 times more children

In Canada, there are approximately 8.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Swaziland, there are 23.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 9.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Canada, approximately 12.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Swaziland, 118.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 9.0 times more likely to die during infancy

In Canada, approximately 4.7 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Swaziland, on the other hand, 42.2 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 13.6% less likely to have access to electricity

In Canada, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Swaziland, that number is 86% of people on average (91% in urban areas, and 85% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 32.8% less likely to have internet access

In Canada, approximately 94.3% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Swaziland, about 63.4% do as of 2024.

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be 18.2% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Canada, approximately 98% of people have access to drinking water (98% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Swaziland, that number is 80% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 33.7% less on healthcare

Canada spends 11.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2024. In Swaziland, that number is 7.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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spend 24.6% more on education

Canada spends 4.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Swaziland spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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Safety

be 6.3 times more likely to be murdered

Canada has a homicide rate of 2.0 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Swaziland, that number is 12.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 5.3 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Canada, road accidents kill 4.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Swaziland, they kill 24.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 94.1% less home broadband

Canada has 42.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Swaziland has 2.5 as of 2024.

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live with 20.8 times more strain on fresh water

Canada withdraws 4% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Swaziland withdraws 78% as of 2022.

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use 91.5% less electricity

Canada uses 14,093 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Swaziland uses 1,200 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 93.7% less CO2

Canada emits 14.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Swaziland emits 0.9 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 8.2 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Canada, air pollution causes 8.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Swaziland, it causes 66.0 as of 2019.

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

Swaziland: At a glance

Swaziland is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 17,204 sq km. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, Africa's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.
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