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

Health

be 55.7% less likely to be obese

In Guatemala, 28.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Gambia, that number is 12.4% of people as of 2024.

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be 6.5 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Guatemala, 0.2% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Gambia, that number is 1.3% of people as of 2024.

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live 6.7 years less

In Guatemala, the average life expectancy is 73 years (70 years for men, 75 years for women) as of 2024. In Gambia, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 89.9% less spent on your healthcare

Guatemala spends $935 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Gambia spends $94 as of 2023.

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have 93.0% fewer doctors per person

Guatemala has 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2020. Gambia has 0.9 as of 2023.

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have 22.0% less access to essential health services

Guatemala scores 59 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Gambia scores 46 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 2.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In Guatemala, 2.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Gambia, that number is 6.5% as of 2025.

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make 86.1% less money

Guatemala has a GDP per capita of $6,598 as of 2025, while in Gambia, the GDP per capita is $919 as of 2025.

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Life

have 44.8% more children

In Guatemala, there are approximately 20.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Gambia, there are 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Guatemala, approximately 94.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Gambia, 354.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 37.1% less likely to be literate

In Guatemala, the literacy rate is 82.1% as of 2024. In Gambia, it is 51.6% as of 2021.

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be 90.1% more likely to die during infancy

In Guatemala, approximately 17.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Gambia, on the other hand, 32.7 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 33.1% less likely to have access to electricity

In Guatemala, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Gambia, that number is 67% of people on average (85% in urban areas, and 35% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 17.8% less likely to have internet access

In Guatemala, approximately 60.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Gambia, about 49.5% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 57.5% less on healthcare

Guatemala spends 6.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Gambia, that number is 2.9% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 80.0% less coastline

Guatemala has a total of 400 km of coastline. In Gambia, that number is 80 km.

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Safety

be 74.6% more likely to die in a road accident

In Guatemala, road accidents kill 12.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Gambia, they kill 22.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 61.5% less strain on fresh water

Guatemala withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Gambia withdraws 2% as of 2022.

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find 90.3% less home broadband

Guatemala has 5.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Gambia has 0.5 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 83.8% less CO2

Guatemala emits 1.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Gambia emits 0.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 2.2 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Guatemala, air pollution causes 40.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Gambia, it causes 90.0 as of 2019.

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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

Gambia: At a glance

Gambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 10,120 sq km. The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president in all subsequent elections including most recently in late 2011.
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How big is Gambia compared to Guatemala? See an in-depth size comparison.

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