If you lived in Mauritius instead of Iraq, you would:

Health

live 1.4 years longer

In Iraq, the average life expectancy is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024. In Mauritius, that number is 74 years (70 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 46.9% less likely to be obese

In Iraq, 39.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Mauritius, that number is 21.1% of people as of 2024.

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see 85.8% more spent on your healthcare

Iraq spends $843 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Mauritius spends $1,566 as of 2023.

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have 40.5% more doctors per person

Iraq has 10.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Mauritius has 14.4 as of 2022.

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have 11.9% more access to essential health services

Iraq scores 59 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Mauritius scores 66 as of 2021.

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be 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide

Iraq has a suicide rate of 3.0 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Mauritius, it is 10.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 63.6% less likely to be unemployed

In Iraq, 15.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Mauritius, that number is 5.6% as of 2025.

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be 52.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Iraq, 17.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Mauritius, however, that number is 8.4% as of 2023.

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make 2.4 times more money

Iraq has a GDP per capita of $5,410 as of 2025, while in Mauritius, the GDP per capita is $12,991 as of 2025.

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Life

be 12.2% more likely to be literate

In Iraq, the literacy rate is 84.1% as of 2021. In Mauritius, it is 94.3% as of 2023.

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be 31.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Iraq, approximately 20.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Mauritius, on the other hand, 13.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 59.7% fewer children

In Iraq, there are approximately 25.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Mauritius, there are 10.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 10.0% less likely to have internet access

In Iraq, approximately 81.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Mauritius, about 73.3% do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 3.1 times more coastline

Iraq has a total of 58 km of coastline. In Mauritius, that number is 177 km.

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Safety

be 54.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Iraq, road accidents kill 21.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Mauritius, they kill 9.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 58.7% more home broadband

Iraq has 17.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Mauritius has 28.0 as of 2024.

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live with 61.4% less strain on fresh water

Iraq withdraws 60% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Mauritius withdraws 23% as of 2022.

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use 79.0% more electricity

Iraq uses 1,377 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Mauritius uses 2,465 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 67.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Iraq, air pollution causes 87.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Mauritius, it causes 28.0 as of 2019.

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emit 31.7% less CO2

Iraq emits 5.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Mauritius emits 3.5 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

Mauritius: At a glance

Mauritius is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 2,030 sq km. Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.
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