If you lived in Paraguay instead of Jamaica, you would:

Health

be 54.5% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Jamaica, 1.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2024.

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live 2.4 years longer

In Jamaica, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 74 years (71 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 69.2% more spent on your healthcare

Jamaica spends $869 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Paraguay spends $1,469 as of 2023.

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have 8.5 times more doctors per person

Jamaica has 4.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Paraguay has 38.9 as of 2022.

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be 3.8 times more likely to die by suicide

Jamaica has a suicide rate of 1.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Paraguay, it is 6.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 45.9% more likely to be unemployed

In Jamaica, 3.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Paraguay, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.

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be 2.1 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Jamaica, 7.8% live below the poverty line as of 2024. In Paraguay, however, that number is 16.0% as of 2025.

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make 12.2% less money

Jamaica has a GDP per capita of $8,003 as of 2025, while in Paraguay, the GDP per capita is $7,027 as of 2025.

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Life

be 55.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Jamaica, approximately 130.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Paraguay, 58.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 11.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Jamaica, approximately 16.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Paraguay, on the other hand, 14.5 children do as of 2024.

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have 72.3% more children

In Jamaica, there are approximately 11.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Paraguay, there are 19.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 13.8% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Jamaica, approximately 88% of people have access to drinking water (90% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 35.9% less on education

Jamaica spends 5.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Paraguay spends 3.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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Safety

be 86.3% less likely to be murdered

Jamaica has a homicide rate of 49.4 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Paraguay, that number is 6.8 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 38.1% less likely to feel safe walking alone at night

In Jamaica, 70% of people feel safe walking alone at night as of 2019. In Paraguay, that number is 43% as of 2019.

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be 18.0% more likely to die in a road accident

In Jamaica, road accidents kill 17.8 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Paraguay, they kill 21.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 85.1% less strain on fresh water

Jamaica withdraws 12% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Paraguay withdraws 2% as of 2022.

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use 98.3% more electricity

Jamaica uses 1,205 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Paraguay uses 2,389 kWh as of 2023.

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find 19.4% less home broadband

Jamaica has 16.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Paraguay has 12.9 as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 59.2% less CO2

Jamaica emits 2.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Paraguay emits 1.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 13.6% more likely to die from air pollution

In Jamaica, air pollution causes 22.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Paraguay, it causes 25.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021). How we calculate this

Paraguay: At a glance

Paraguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 397,302 sq km. Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811. In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - Paraguay lost two-thirds of its adult males and much of its territory. The country stagnated economically for the next half century. Following the Chaco War of 1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of the Chaco lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since the country's return to democracy.
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How big is Paraguay compared to Jamaica? See an in-depth size comparison.

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