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

Health

be 87.5% 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 France, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2023.

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live 25.3 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 France, that number is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 50.3 times more spent on your healthcare

Central African Republic spends $137 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). France spends $6,868 as of 2024.

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have 44.3 times more doctors per person

Central African Republic has 0.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. France has 32.8 as of 2022.

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have 2.7 times more access to essential health services

Central African Republic scores 32 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. France scores 85 as of 2021.

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be 80.4% more likely to die by suicide

Central African Republic has a suicide rate of 9.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In France, it is 16.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 77.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Central African Republic, 68.8% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In France, however, that number is 15.6% as of 2021.

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make 88.1 times more money

Central African Republic has a GDP per capita of $556 as of 2025, while in France, the GDP per capita is $48,986 as of 2025.

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be 20.6% more likely to be unemployed

In Central African Republic, 6.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In France, that number is 7.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 99.0% 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 France, 7.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 94.2% 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 France, on the other hand, 3.4 children do as of 2024.

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have 79.0% fewer children

In Central African Republic, there are approximately 46.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In France, there are 9.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 5.7 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 France, 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 6.4 times more likely to have internet access

In Central African Republic, approximately 13.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In France, about 88.7% 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 France, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 2.9 times more on education

Central African Republic spends 1.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. France spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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Safety

be 81.9% 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 France, they kill 4.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 2446.5 times more home broadband

Central African Republic has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. France has 48.9 as of 2024.

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live with 62.9 times more strain on fresh water

Central African Republic withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. France withdraws 21% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 89.8% 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 France, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 66.7 times more CO2

Central African Republic emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. France emits 4.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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

France: At a glance

France is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 549,970 sq km. France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-8, the G-20, the EU and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to take French forces out of NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion - became French regions and were made part of France proper.
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