If you lived in Guyana instead of Japan, you would:

Health

live 13.7 years less

In Japan, the average life expectancy is 84 years (81 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 70 years (67 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 5.1 times more likely to be obese

In Japan, 5.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 30.1% of people as of 2024.

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see 75.2% less spent on your healthcare

Japan spends $5,365 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Guyana spends $1,331 as of 2023.

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have 47.6% fewer doctors per person

Japan has 26.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Guyana has 13.9 as of 2020.

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be 42.2% more likely to die by suicide

Japan has a suicide rate of 17.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Guyana, it is 24.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 4.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In Japan, 2.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Guyana, that number is 12.0% as of 2025.

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Life

have 3.5 times more children

In Japan, there are approximately 5.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Guyana, there are 19.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 25.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Japan, approximately 3.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Guyana, 75.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 12.9 times more likely to die during infancy

In Japan, approximately 1.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Guyana, on the other hand, 23.2 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 77.0% less on healthcare

Japan spends 10.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Guyana, that number is 2.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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spend 33.2% more on education

Japan spends 3.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Guyana spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2018.

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Geography

see 98.5% less coastline

Japan has a total of 29,751 km of coastline. In Guyana, that number is 459 km.

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Safety

be 83.1 times more likely to be murdered

Japan has a homicide rate of 0.2 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Guyana, that number is 19.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 5.6 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Japan, road accidents kill 2.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Guyana, they kill 15.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 91.0% less strain on fresh water

Japan withdraws 37% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Guyana withdraws 3% as of 2022.

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find 66.5% less home broadband

Japan has 38.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Guyana has 12.9 as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 41.8% less CO2

Japan emits 7.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Guyana emits 4.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 4.3 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Japan, air pollution causes 12.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Guyana, it causes 52.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2018–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Guyana: At a glance

Guyana is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 196,849 sq km. Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR was elected president in 2011.
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How big is Guyana compared to Japan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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