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

Health

live 15.9 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 Peru, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 16.6 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). Peru spends $956 as of 2023.

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have 8.1 times more doctors per person

Democratic Republic of the Congo has 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Peru has 16.9 as of 2023.

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have 69.0% 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. Peru scores 71 as of 2021.

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be 82.4% less 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 Peru, it is 1.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 4.4 times more likely to be obese

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, 6.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Peru, that number is 29.1% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 12.0 times more money

Democratic Republic of the Congo has a GDP per capita of $807 as of 2025, while in Peru, the GDP per capita is $9,684 as of 2025.

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be 15.6% more likely to be unemployed

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, 4.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Peru, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.

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Life

be 88.1% 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 Peru, 51.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 36.7% more likely to be literate

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, the literacy rate is 68.5% as of 2023. In Peru, it is 93.7% as of 2024.

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be 80.5% 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 Peru, on the other hand, 11.0 children do as of 2024.

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have 61.5% fewer children

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are approximately 40.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Peru, there are 15.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 4.4 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 Peru, that number is 96% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 85% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 4.2 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 Peru, about 82.0% do as of 2024.

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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 Peru, that number is 96% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 87% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 53.5% more on education

Democratic Republic of the Congo spends 2.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Peru spends 4.4% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 53.3% more on healthcare

Democratic Republic of the Congo spends 3.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Peru, that number is 5.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 65.2 times more coastline

Democratic Republic of the Congo has a total of 37 km of coastline. In Peru, that number is 2,414 km.

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Safety

be 22.1% 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 Peru, they kill 12.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 389.3 times more home broadband

Democratic Republic of the Congo has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Peru has 11.7 as of 2024.

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use 12.4 times more electricity

Democratic Republic of the Congo uses 129 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Peru uses 1,595 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 21.0 times more strain on fresh water

Democratic Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Peru withdraws 5% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 63.9% 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 Peru, it causes 26.0 as of 2019.

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emit 33.7 times more CO2

Democratic Republic of the Congo emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Peru emits 2.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Peru: At a glance

Peru is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,279,996 sq km. Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces were defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his resignation in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which installed Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of indigenous ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, oversaw a robust economic rebound. In June 2011, former army officer Ollanta HUMALA Tasso was elected president, defeating Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi, the daughter of Alberto FUJIMORI. Since his election, HUMALA has carried on the sound, market-oriented economic policies of the three preceding administrations.
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