If you lived in Puerto Rico instead of Ghana, you would:

Health

live 16.2 years longer

In Ghana, the average life expectancy is 66 years (63 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, that number is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 2.9 times more likely to be obese

In Ghana, 14.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, that number is 42.4% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 12.5 times more money

Ghana has a GDP per capita of $3,257 as of 2025, while in Puerto Rico, the GDP per capita is $40,620 as of 2025.

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be 2.0 times more likely to be unemployed

In Ghana, 3.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Puerto Rico, that number is 6.0% as of 2025.

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Life

be 95.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Ghana, approximately 234.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Puerto Rico, 11.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 20.8% more likely to be literate

In Ghana, the literacy rate is 76.5% as of 2021. In Puerto Rico, it is 92.4% as of 2021.

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be 78.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Ghana, approximately 27.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, on the other hand, 6.0 children do as of 2022.

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have 78.0% fewer children

In Ghana, there are approximately 25.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, there are 5.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 11.7% more likely to have access to electricity

In Ghana, approximately 90% of people have electricity access (98% in urban areas, and 78% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Puerto Rico, 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 20.9% more likely to have internet access

In Ghana, approximately 72.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, about 87.3% do as of 2022.

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be 11.2% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Ghana, approximately 90% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, 100% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 46.7% more on education

Ghana spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Puerto Rico spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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Safety

be 51.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Ghana, road accidents kill 25.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Puerto Rico, they kill 12.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 8.0 times more likely to be murdered

Ghana has a homicide rate of 1.8 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Puerto Rico, that number is 14.6 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 42.4 times more home broadband

Ghana has 0.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Puerto Rico has 28.0 as of 2024.

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live with 3.1 times more strain on fresh water

Ghana withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Puerto Rico withdraws 20% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 6.9 times more CO2

Ghana emits 0.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Puerto Rico emits 4.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021–2022), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this

Puerto Rico: At a glance

Puerto Rico is a territory in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 8,959 sq km. Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Christopher COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status with the US, but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood.
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