If you lived in Zimbabwe instead of Chad, you would:

Health

live 7.8 years longer

In Chad, the average life expectancy is 55 years (53 years for men, 57 years for women) as of 2024. In Zimbabwe, that number is 63 years (60 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 60.0% more doctors per person

Chad has 0.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Zimbabwe has 1.4 as of 2023.

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have 89.7% more access to essential health services

Chad scores 29 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Zimbabwe scores 55 as of 2021.

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be 10.9 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Chad, 0.9% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Zimbabwe, that number is 9.8% of people as of 2024.

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be 98.8% more likely to be obese

In Chad, 7.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Zimbabwe, that number is 14.7% of people as of 2024.

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see 20.6% less spent on your healthcare

Chad spends $130 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Zimbabwe spends $103 as of 2023.

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be 3.3 times more likely to die by suicide

Chad has a suicide rate of 5.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Zimbabwe, it is 17.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 14.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Chad, 44.8% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Zimbabwe, however, that number is 38.3% as of 2019.

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make 3.0 times more money

Chad has a GDP per capita of $1,022 as of 2025, while in Zimbabwe, the GDP per capita is $3,021 as of 2025.

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be 8.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In Chad, 1.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Zimbabwe, that number is 9.3% as of 2025.

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Life

be 52.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Chad, approximately 748.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Zimbabwe, 358.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 3.3 times more likely to be literate

In Chad, the literacy rate is 26.8% as of 2021. In Zimbabwe, it is 89.7% as of 2021.

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be 10.8% more likely to die during infancy

In Chad, approximately 56.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Zimbabwe, on the other hand, 62.4 children do as of 2024.

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have 30.9% fewer children

In Chad, there are approximately 43.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Zimbabwe, there are 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 5.2 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Chad, approximately 12% of people have electricity access (48% in urban areas, and 0% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Zimbabwe, that number is 62% of people on average (84% in urban areas, and 51% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 3.3 times more likely to have internet access

In Chad, approximately 12.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Zimbabwe, about 41.6% do as of 2024.

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be 28.7% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Chad, approximately 52% of people have access to drinking water (78% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Zimbabwe, that number is 67% of people on average (94% in urban areas, and 54% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 88.1% less on education

Chad spends 3.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Zimbabwe spends 0.4% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 41.4% less on healthcare

Chad spends 5.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Zimbabwe, that number is 2.9% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 13.3% more likely to die in a road accident

In Chad, road accidents kill 26.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Zimbabwe, they kill 29.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

use 36.7 times more electricity

Chad uses 14 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Zimbabwe uses 504 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 10.7 times more strain on fresh water

Chad withdraws 4% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Zimbabwe withdraws 46% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 41.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Chad, air pollution causes 95.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Zimbabwe, it causes 56.0 as of 2019.

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emit 5.5 times more CO2

Chad emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Zimbabwe emits 0.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Zimbabwe: At a glance

Zimbabwe is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 386,847 sq km. The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the [British] South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land redistribution campaign, which began in 1997 and intensified after 2000, caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection. In April 2005, the capital city of Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition. President MUGABE in June 2007 instituted price controls on all basic commodities causing panic buying and leaving store shelves empty for months; a period of increasing hyperinflation ensued. General elections held in March 2008 contained irregularities but still amounted to a censure of the ZANU-PF-led government with the opposition winning a majority of seats in parliament. MDC-T opposition leader Morgan TSVANGIRAI won the most votes in the presidential polls, but not enough to win outright. In the lead up to a run-off election in late June 2008, considerable violence enacted against opposition party members led to the withdrawal of TSVANGIRAI from the ballot. Extensive evidence of violence and intimidation resulted in international condemnation of the process. Difficult negotiations over a power-sharing "government of national unity," in which MUGABE remained president and TSVANGIRAI became prime minister, were finally settled in February 2009, although the leaders failed to agree upon many key outstanding governmental issues. MUGABE was reelected president in June 2013 in balloting that was severely flawed and internationally condemned. As a prerequisite to holding the elections, Zimbabwe enacted a new constitution by referendum, although many provisions in the new constitution have yet to be codified in law.
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