If you lived in Turkmenistan instead of Guinea, you would:

Health

live 9.3 years longer

In Guinea, the average life expectancy is 61 years (60 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, that number is 70 years (67 years for men, 73 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 7.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Guinea spends $169 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Turkmenistan spends $1,264 as of 2023.

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have 9.2 times more doctors per person

Guinea has 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Turkmenistan has 19.3 as of 2023.

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have 87.5% more access to essential health services

Guinea scores 40 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Turkmenistan scores 75 as of 2021.

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be 2.1 times more likely to be obese

In Guinea, 10.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, that number is 22.2% of people as of 2024.

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be 41.7% more likely to die by suicide

Guinea has a suicide rate of 4.8 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Turkmenistan, it is 6.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 17.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Guinea, 5.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Turkmenistan, that number is 4.3% as of 2025.

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make 3.5 times more money

Guinea has a GDP per capita of $1,877 as of 2025, while in Turkmenistan, the GDP per capita is $6,540 as of 2025.

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Life

be 99.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Guinea, approximately 494.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Turkmenistan, 5.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.2 times more likely to be literate

In Guinea, the literacy rate is 45.3% as of 2021. In Turkmenistan, it is 99.9% as of 2022.

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be 49.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Guinea, approximately 59.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, on the other hand, 30.4 children do as of 2024.

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have 37.3% fewer children

In Guinea, there are approximately 33.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, there are 20.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 95.7% more likely to have access to electricity

In Guinea, approximately 51% of people have electricity access (92% in urban areas, and 26% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Turkmenistan, 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 34.7% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Guinea, approximately 74% of people have access to drinking water (93% in urban areas, and 62% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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be 24.0% less likely to have internet access

In Guinea, approximately 33.3% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, about 25.3% do as of 2022.

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Expenditures

spend 2.5 times more on education

Guinea spends 1.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Turkmenistan spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 49.1% more on healthcare

Guinea spends 3.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Turkmenistan, that number is 5.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 78.6% less likely to die in a road accident

In Guinea, road accidents kill 37.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Turkmenistan, they kill 8.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 522.0 times more home broadband

Guinea has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Turkmenistan has 5.2 as of 2022.

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live with 98.7 times more strain on fresh water

Guinea withdraws 1% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Turkmenistan withdraws 135% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 31.0 times more CO2

Guinea emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Turkmenistan emits 10.9 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Turkmenistan: At a glance

Turkmenistan is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 469,930 sq km. Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim crusaders, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times Merv (today known as Mary) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited, have begun to transform the country. Turkmenistan is moving to expand its extraction and delivery projects. The Government of Turkmenistan is actively working to diversify its gas export routes beyond the still important Russian pipeline network. In 2010, new gas export pipelines that carry Turkmen gas to China and to northern Iran began operating, effectively ending the Russian monopoly on Turkmen gas exports. President for Life Saparmurat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy cabinet chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president; he was chosen as president again in February 2012, in an election that the OSCE said lacked the freedoms necessary to create a competitive environment.
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