If you lived in Colombia instead of Central African Republic, you would:

Health

be 75.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Central African Republic, 2.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 0.6% of people as of 2024.

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live 20.2 years longer

In Central African Republic, the average life expectancy is 58 years (56 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 12.9 times more spent on your healthcare

Central African Republic spends $137 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Colombia spends $1,758 as of 2024.

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have 34.3 times more doctors per person

Central African Republic has 0.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Colombia has 25.4 as of 2023.

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have 2.5 times more access to essential health services

Central African Republic scores 32 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Colombia scores 80 as of 2021.

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be 46.0% less likely to die by suicide

Central African Republic has a suicide rate of 9.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Colombia, it is 5.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.3 times more likely to be obese

In Central African Republic, 10.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 24.9% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 53.8% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Central African Republic, 68.8% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Colombia, however, that number is 31.8% as of 2024.

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make 15.4 times more money

Central African Republic has a GDP per capita of $556 as of 2025, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $8,562 as of 2025.

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be 32.6% more likely to be unemployed

In Central African Republic, 6.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Colombia, that number is 8.3% as of 2025.

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Life

be 91.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Central African Republic, approximately 692.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Colombia, 59.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 82.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Central African Republic, approximately 58.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Colombia, on the other hand, 10.5 children do as of 2024.

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have 71.3% fewer children

In Central African Republic, there are approximately 46.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Colombia, there are 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 5.6 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Central African Republic, approximately 18% of people have electricity access (37% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Colombia, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 5.8 times more likely to have internet access

In Central African Republic, approximately 13.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Colombia, about 79.3% do as of 2024.

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be 2.7 times more likely to have access to drinking water

In Central African Republic, approximately 36% of people have access to drinking water (48% in urban areas, and 27% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 97% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 23.6% less on healthcare

Central African Republic spends 10.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Colombia, that number is 8.1% of GDP as of 2024.

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spend 2.9 times more on education

Central African Republic spends 1.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Colombia spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

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Safety

be 37.5% less likely to die in a road accident

In Central African Republic, road accidents kill 25.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Colombia, they kill 16.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 861.0 times more home broadband

Central African Republic has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Colombia has 17.2 as of 2024.

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live with 10.7 times more strain on fresh water

Central African Republic withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Colombia withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 75.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Central African Republic, air pollution causes 98.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Colombia, it causes 24.0 as of 2019.

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emit 30.0 times more CO2

Central African Republic emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Colombia emits 1.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Colombia: At a glance

Colombia is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,038,700 sq km. Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. In November 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
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How big is Colombia compared to Central African Republic? See an in-depth size comparison.

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