If you lived in Republic of the Congo instead of Iraq, you would:

Health

be 69.3% less likely to be obese

In Iraq, 39.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 12.2% of people as of 2024.

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be 32.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Iraq, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 3.2% of people as of 2024.

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live 6.4 years less

In Iraq, the average life expectancy is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 75.2% less spent on your healthcare

Iraq spends $843 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Republic of the Congo spends $209 as of 2023.

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have 83.1% fewer doctors per person

Iraq has 10.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Republic of the Congo has 1.7 as of 2022.

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have 30.5% less access to essential health services

Iraq scores 59 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Republic of the Congo scores 41 as of 2021.

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be 2.3 times more likely to die by suicide

Iraq has a suicide rate of 3.0 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Republic of the Congo, it is 6.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 28.4% more likely to be unemployed

In Iraq, 15.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 19.9% as of 2025.

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make 53.5% less money

Iraq has a GDP per capita of $5,410 as of 2025, while in Republic of the Congo, the GDP per capita is $2,515 as of 2025.

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Life

have 18.9% more children

In Iraq, there are approximately 25.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, there are 30.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.7 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Iraq, approximately 66.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Republic of the Congo, 241.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 34.3% more 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 Republic of the Congo, on the other hand, 27.0 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 48.7% less likely to have access to electricity

In Iraq, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 51% of people on average (69% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 42.0% less likely to have internet access

In Iraq, approximately 81.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, about 47.2% do as of 2024.

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be 25.3% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Iraq, approximately 98% of people have access to drinking water (100% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 73% of people on average (87% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2021.

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Expenditures

spend 40.3% less on healthcare

Iraq spends 5.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 3.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 2.9 times more coastline

Iraq has a total of 58 km of coastline. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 169 km.

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Safety

be 60.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Iraq, road accidents kill 21.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Republic of the Congo, they kill 8.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 99.9% less strain on fresh water

Iraq withdraws 60% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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find 92.8% less home broadband

Iraq has 17.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Republic of the Congo has 1.3 as of 2023.

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use 75.4% less electricity

Iraq uses 1,377 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Republic of the Congo uses 338 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 24.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Iraq, air pollution causes 87.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Republic of the Congo, it causes 66.0 as of 2019.

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emit 74.1% less CO2

Iraq emits 5.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Republic of the Congo emits 1.3 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

Republic of the Congo: At a glance

Republic of the Congo is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 341,500 sq km. Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.
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