If you lived in Uruguay instead of Gambia, you would:

Health

live 12.2 years longer

In Gambia, the average life expectancy is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Uruguay, that number is 78 years (74 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 33.3 times more spent on your healthcare

Gambia spends $94 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Uruguay spends $3,135 as of 2023.

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have 51.9 times more doctors per person

Gambia has 0.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Uruguay has 46.7 as of 2022.

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have 78.3% more access to essential health services

Gambia scores 46 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Uruguay scores 82 as of 2021.

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be 2.8 times more likely to be obese

In Gambia, 12.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Uruguay, that number is 35.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 5.1 times more likely to die by suicide

Gambia has a suicide rate of 4.8 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Uruguay, it is 24.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 27.4 times more money

Gambia has a GDP per capita of $919 as of 2025, while in Uruguay, the GDP per capita is $25,216 as of 2025.

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be 15.3% more likely to be unemployed

In Gambia, 6.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Uruguay, that number is 7.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 95.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In Gambia, approximately 354.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Uruguay, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 91.5% more likely to be literate

In Gambia, the literacy rate is 51.6% as of 2021. In Uruguay, it is 98.9% as of 2024.

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be 81.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Gambia, approximately 32.7 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Uruguay, on the other hand, 6.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 67.2% fewer children

In Gambia, there are approximately 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Uruguay, there are 9.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 49.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In Gambia, approximately 67% of people have electricity access (85% in urban areas, and 35% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Uruguay, 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 85.9% more likely to have internet access

In Gambia, approximately 49.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Uruguay, about 92.0% do as of 2024.

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be 14.4% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Gambia, approximately 87% of people have access to drinking water (92% in urban areas, and 78% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Uruguay, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 69.4% more on education

Gambia spends 2.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Uruguay spends 4.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 3.1 times more on healthcare

Gambia spends 2.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Uruguay, that number is 9.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 8.2 times more coastline

Gambia has a total of 80 km of coastline. In Uruguay, that number is 660 km.

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Safety

be 40.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Gambia, road accidents kill 22.0 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Uruguay, they kill 13.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 63.5 times more home broadband

Gambia has 0.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Uruguay has 33.0 as of 2024.

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live with 5.5 times more strain on fresh water

Gambia withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Uruguay withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 82.2% less likely to die from air pollution

In Gambia, air pollution causes 90.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Uruguay, it causes 16.0 as of 2019.

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emit 14.3 times more CO2

Gambia emits 0.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Uruguay emits 2.6 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

Uruguay: At a glance

Uruguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 175,015 sq km. Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
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