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

Health

be 70.7% less likely to die by suicide

Japan has a suicide rate of 17.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Tanzania, it is 5.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 16.8 years less

In Japan, the average life expectancy is 84 years (81 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024. In Tanzania, that number is 67 years (64 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 95.1% more likely to be obese

In Japan, 5.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Tanzania, that number is 11.5% of people as of 2024.

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see 97.8% less spent on your healthcare

Japan spends $5,365 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Tanzania spends $119 as of 2023.

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have 94.9% fewer doctors per person

Japan has 26.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Tanzania has 1.3 as of 2022.

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have 48.2% less access to essential health services

Japan scores 83 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Tanzania scores 43 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 35.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Japan, 2.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Tanzania, that number is 1.6% as of 2025.

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make 96.3% less money

Japan has a GDP per capita of $35,951 as of 2025, while in Tanzania, the GDP per capita is $1,319 as of 2025.

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Life

have 6.1 times more children

In Japan, there are approximately 5.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Tanzania, there are 34.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 92.0 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 Tanzania, 276.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 15.9 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 Tanzania, on the other hand, 28.7 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 51.7% less likely to have access to electricity

In Japan, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Tanzania, that number is 48% of people on average (82% in urban areas, and 28% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 63.6% less likely to have internet access

In Japan, approximately 85.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Tanzania, about 31.2% do as of 2024.

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be 34.9% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Japan, approximately 99% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Tanzania, 65% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 71.6% less on healthcare

Japan spends 10.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Tanzania, that number is 3.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 95.2% less coastline

Japan has a total of 29,751 km of coastline. In Tanzania, that number is 1,424 km.

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Safety

be 16.3 times more likely to be murdered

Japan has a homicide rate of 0.2 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Tanzania, that number is 3.8 per 100,000 as of 2020.

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be 5.9 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Japan, road accidents kill 2.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Tanzania, they kill 15.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 64.6% less strain on fresh water

Japan withdraws 37% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Tanzania withdraws 13% as of 2022.

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find 99.4% less home broadband

Japan has 38.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Tanzania has 0.2 as of 2024.

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use 98.2% less electricity

Japan uses 7,530 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Tanzania uses 135 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 96.0% less CO2

Japan emits 7.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Tanzania emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 3.0 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Japan, air pollution causes 12.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Tanzania, it causes 36.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Tanzania: At a glance

Tanzania is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 885,800 sq km. Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule ended in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities. The formation of a government of national unity between Zanzibar's two leading parties succeeded in minimizing electoral tension in 2010.
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