Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 20.4 years less

In China, the average life expectancy is 76 years (74 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Somalia, that number is 56 years (53 years for men, 58 years for women) as of 2022.

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be 33.9% more likely to be obese

In China, 6.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Somalia, that number is 8.3% of people as of 2016.

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Economy

make 94.1% less money

China has a GDP per capita of $23,800 as of 2024, while in Somalia, the GDP per capita is $1,400 as of 2024.

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be 4.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In China, 4.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2024. In Somalia, that number is 18.9% as of 2024.

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Life

have 6.4 times more children

In China, there are approximately 7.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2025. In Somalia, there are 46.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2025.

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be 35.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In China, approximately 16.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2023. In Somalia, 563.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 44.1% less likely to be literate

In China, the literacy rate is 96.7% as of 2020. In Somalia, it is 54.1% as of 2022.

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be 12.8 times more likely to die during infancy

In China, approximately 6.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Somalia, on the other hand, 86.5 children do as of 2022.

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Basic Needs

be 51.1% less likely to have access to electricity

In China, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Somalia, 49% of the population do as of 2022.

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be 64.1% less likely to have internet access

In China, approximately 78.0% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Somalia, about 28.0% do as of 2022.

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be 40.3% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In China, approximately 98% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Somalia, that number is 58% of people on average (80% in urban areas, and 39% in rural areas) as of 2022.

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Expenditures

spend 91.7% less on education

China spends 3.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Somalia spends 0.3% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

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Geography

see 79.1% less coastline

China has a total of 14,500 km of coastline. In Somalia, that number is 3,025 km.

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The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Somalia: At a glance

Somalia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 627,337 sq km. Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule characterized by the persecution, jailing, and torture of political opponents and dissidents. After the regime's collapse early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence and continues efforts to establish a constitutional democracy, including holding municipal, parliamentary, and presidential elections. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring semi-autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998 but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. In 2000, the Somalia National Peace Conference (SNPC) held in Djibouti resulted in the formation of an interim government, known as the Transitional National Government (TNG). When the TNG failed to establish adequate security or governing institutions, the Government of Kenya, under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), led a subsequent peace process that concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of a second interim government, known as the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of the Somali Republic. The TFG included a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP). President YUSUF resigned late in 2008 while United Nations-sponsored talks between the TFG and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were underway in Djibouti. In January 2009, following the creation of a TFG-ARS unity government, Ethiopian military forces, which had entered Somalia in December 2006 to support the TFG in the face of advances by the opposition Islamic Courts Union (ICU), withdrew from the country. The TFP was doubled in size to 550 seats with the addition of 200 ARS and 75 civil society members of parliament. The expanded parliament elected Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed, the former ICU and ARS chairman as president in January 2009. The creation of the TFG was based on the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC), which outlined a five-year mandate leading to the establishment of a new Somali constitution and a transition to a representative government following national elections. In 2009, the TFP amended the TFC to extend TFG's mandate until 2011 and in 2011 Somali principals agreed to institute political transition by August 2012. The transition process ended in September 2012 when clan elders replaced the TFP by appointing 275 members to a new parliament who subsequently elected a new president.
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