If you lived in India instead of Democratic Republic of the Congo, you would:

Health

live 10.2 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 India, that number is 72 years (71 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 6.0 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). India spends $346 as of 2023.

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have 3.5 times more doctors per person

Democratic Republic of the Congo has 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. India has 7.2 as of 2020.

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have 50.0% 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. India scores 63 as of 2021.

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be 19.7% more likely to be obese

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, 6.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In India, that number is 8.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 43.2% more likely to die by suicide

Democratic Republic of the Congo has a suicide rate of 8.8 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In India, it is 12.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 3.3 times more money

Democratic Republic of the Congo has a GDP per capita of $807 as of 2025, while in India, the GDP per capita is $2,702 as of 2025.

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Life

be 81.3% 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 India, 80.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 14.1% more likely to be literate

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, the literacy rate is 68.5% as of 2023. In India, it is 78.2% as of 2024.

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be 58.7% 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 India, on the other hand, 23.3 children do as of 2024.

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have 60.9% fewer children

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are approximately 40.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In India, there are 16.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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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 India, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 3.6 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 India, about 70.0% do as of 2025.

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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 India, that number is 96% of people on average (97% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 44.4% more on education

Democratic Republic of the Congo spends 2.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. India spends 4.1% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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Geography

see 189.2 times more coastline

Democratic Republic of the Congo has a total of 37 km of coastline. In India, that number is 7,000 km.

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Infrastructure

find 105.0 times more home broadband

Democratic Republic of the Congo has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. India has 3.1 as of 2024.

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use 9.2 times more electricity

Democratic Republic of the Congo uses 129 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. India uses 1,182 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 289.1 times more strain on fresh water

Democratic Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. India withdraws 66% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 15.3% more 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 India, it causes 83.0 as of 2019.

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emit 36.2 times more CO2

Democratic Republic of the Congo emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. India emits 2.2 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

India: At a glance

India is a sovereign country in South Asia, with a total land area of approximately 2,973,193 sq km. The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty which ruled India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century. By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence, which was granted in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states - India and Pakistan. The neighboring nations have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In November 2008, terrorists originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. Despite pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, economic growth following the launch of economic reforms in 1991 and a massive youthful population are driving India's emergence as a regional and global power.
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