If you lived in Bosnia and Herzegovina instead of Democratic Republic of the Congo, you would:

Health

live 16.0 years longer

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, the average life expectancy is 62 years (60 years for men, 64 years for women) as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

see 34.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Democratic Republic of the Congo spends $58 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Bosnia and Herzegovina spends $1,989 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 12.4 times more doctors per person

Democratic Republic of the Congo has 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Bosnia and Herzegovina has 25.8 as of 2019.

View global rankings →

have 57.1% more access to essential health services

Democratic Republic of the Congo scores 42 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 3.1 times more likely to be obese

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, 6.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 21.0% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 12.9 times more money

Democratic Republic of the Congo has a GDP per capita of $807 as of 2025, while in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the GDP per capita is $10,382 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 2.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, 4.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 11.0% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 98.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 427.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, 6.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 43.2% more likely to be literate

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, the literacy rate is 68.5% as of 2023. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is 98.1% as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 90.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 56.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the other hand, 5.5 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 81.1% fewer children

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are approximately 40.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are 7.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 4.5 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 22% of people have electricity access (56% in urban areas, and 1% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 4.4 times more likely to have internet access

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 19.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 86.1% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 2.7 times more likely to have access to drinking water

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 36% of people have access to drinking water (59% in urban areas, and 14% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 96% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 14.4% more on education

Democratic Republic of the Congo spends 2.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Bosnia and Herzegovina spends 3.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

View global rankings →

spend 2.4 times more on healthcare

Democratic Republic of the Congo spends 3.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 8.9% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Geography

see 45.9% less coastline

Democratic Republic of the Congo has a total of 37 km of coastline. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 20 km.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 16.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, road accidents kill 16.3 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, they kill 13.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 979.7 times more home broadband

Democratic Republic of the Congo has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Bosnia and Herzegovina has 29.4 as of 2024.

View global rankings →

use 28.6 times more electricity

Democratic Republic of the Congo uses 129 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Bosnia and Herzegovina uses 3,677 kWh as of 2023.

View global rankings →

live with 9.0 times more strain on fresh water

Democratic Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Bosnia and Herzegovina withdraws 2% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

be 23.6% less likely to die from air pollution

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, air pollution causes 72.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it causes 55.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →

emit 107.5 times more CO2

Democratic Republic of the Congo emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Bosnia and Herzegovina emits 6.5 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


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

Bosnia and Herzegovina: At a glance

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 51,187 sq km. Bosnia and Herzegovina declared sovereignty in October 1991 and independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that ended three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a multi-ethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government composed of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Bosnian Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments are responsible for overseeing most government functions. Additionally, the Dayton Accords established the Office of the High Representative (OHR) to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. The Peace Implementation Council (PIC) at its conference in Bonn in 1997 also gave the High Representative the authority to impose legislation and remove officials, the so-called "Bonn Powers." An original NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops assembled in 1995 was succeeded over time by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR). In 2004, European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR. Currently EUFOR deploys around 600 troops in theater in a policing capacity.
Read more

How big is Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Democratic Republic of the Congo? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Bosnia and Herzegovina or Democratic Republic of the Congo. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.