If you lived in Ecuador instead of China, you would:

Health

be 15.5% less likely to die by suicide

China has a suicide rate of 8.9 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Ecuador, it is 7.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 3.1 times more likely to be obese

In China, 9.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Ecuador, that number is 28.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 16.7% less spent on your healthcare

China spends $1,487 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Ecuador spends $1,238 as of 2023.

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have 25.7% fewer doctors per person

China has 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Ecuador has 23.1 as of 2020.

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Economy

be 28.4% less likely to be unemployed

In China, 4.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Ecuador, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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make 48.6% less money

China has a GDP per capita of $13,862 as of 2025, while in Ecuador, the GDP per capita is $7,125 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.2 times more children

In China, there are approximately 6.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Ecuador, there are 14.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In China, approximately 16.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Ecuador, 55.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.7 times more likely to die during infancy

In China, approximately 4.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Ecuador, on the other hand, 10.9 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 15.8% less likely to have internet access

In China, approximately 91.6% of the population has internet access as of 2025. In Ecuador, about 77.2% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 27.3% more on healthcare

China spends 5.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Ecuador, that number is 7.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 84.6% less coastline

China has a total of 14,500 km of coastline. In Ecuador, that number is 2,237 km.

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Safety

be 91.4 times more likely to be murdered

China has a homicide rate of 0.5 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In Ecuador, that number is 45.7 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 34.5% more likely to die in a road accident

In China, road accidents kill 17.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Ecuador, they kill 23.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 83.7% less strain on fresh water

China withdraws 42% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Ecuador withdraws 7% as of 2022.

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find 63.4% less home broadband

China has 47.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Ecuador has 17.2 as of 2024.

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use 74.3% less electricity

China uses 6,524 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Ecuador uses 1,676 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 64.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In China, air pollution causes 64.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Ecuador, it causes 23.0 as of 2019.

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emit 71.7% less CO2

China emits 9.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Ecuador emits 2.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Ecuador: At a glance

Ecuador is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 276,841 sq km. What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador's 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, and voters re-elected President Rafael CORREA.
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