If you lived in New Zealand instead of Ethiopia, you would:

Health

live 14.4 years longer

In Ethiopia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (64 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In New Zealand, that number is 82 years (80 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 65.0 times more spent on your healthcare

Ethiopia spends $86 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). New Zealand spends $5,576 as of 2024.

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have 25.3 times more doctors per person

Ethiopia has 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. New Zealand has 36.1 as of 2022.

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have 2.4 times more access to essential health services

Ethiopia scores 35 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. New Zealand scores 85 as of 2021.

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be 11.7 times more likely to be obese

In Ethiopia, 2.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In New Zealand, that number is 34.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 96.4% more likely to die by suicide

Ethiopia has a suicide rate of 6.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In New Zealand, it is 11.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 53.2 times more money

Ethiopia has a GDP per capita of $933 as of 2025, while in New Zealand, the GDP per capita is $49,591 as of 2025.

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be 53.0% more likely to be unemployed

In Ethiopia, 3.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In New Zealand, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.

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Life

be 96.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Ethiopia, approximately 195.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In New Zealand, 7.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 88.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Ethiopia, approximately 34.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In New Zealand, on the other hand, 4.0 children do as of 2024.

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have 65.0% fewer children

In Ethiopia, there are approximately 31.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In New Zealand, there are 11.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 80.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In Ethiopia, approximately 55% of people have electricity access (95% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2023. In New Zealand, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 4.3 times more likely to have internet access

In Ethiopia, approximately 21.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In New Zealand, about 93.5% do as of 2024.

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be 79.9% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Ethiopia, approximately 56% of people have access to drinking water (83% in urban areas, and 47% in rural areas) as of 2024. In New Zealand, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 2.3 times more on education

Ethiopia spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. New Zealand spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 3.6 times more on healthcare

Ethiopia spends 2.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In New Zealand, that number is 10.1% of GDP as of 2024.

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Safety

be 62.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Ethiopia, road accidents kill 17.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In New Zealand, they kill 6.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 64.5 times more home broadband

Ethiopia has 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. New Zealand has 38.0 as of 2024.

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live with 75.0% less strain on fresh water

Ethiopia withdraws 32% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. New Zealand withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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use 71.0 times more electricity

Ethiopia uses 113 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. New Zealand uses 7,989 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 73.9% less likely to die from air pollution

In Ethiopia, air pollution causes 46.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In New Zealand, it causes 12.0 as of 2019.

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emit 40.1 times more CO2

Ethiopia emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. New Zealand emits 6.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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

New Zealand: At a glance

New Zealand (sometimes abbreviated NZ) is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 264,537 sq km. The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. That same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both world wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.
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