If you lived in Botswana instead of Kiribati, you would:

Health

live 2.7 years longer

In Kiribati, the average life expectancy is 67 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Botswana, that number is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 56.6% less likely to be obese

In Kiribati, 45.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Botswana, that number is 19.8% of people as of 2024.

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see 3.3 times more spent on your healthcare

Kiribati spends $401 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Botswana spends $1,310 as of 2023.

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have 14.6% more access to essential health services

Kiribati scores 48 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Botswana scores 55 as of 2021.

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be 52.2% less likely to die by suicide

Kiribati has a suicide rate of 17.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Botswana, it is 8.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 3.0 times more money

Kiribati has a GDP per capita of $2,559 as of 2025, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $7,778 as of 2025.

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Life

be 17.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Kiribati, approximately 38.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Botswana, on the other hand, 32.1 children do as of 2024.

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be 93.8% more likely to die during childbirth

In Kiribati, approximately 80.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Botswana, 155.0 women do as of 2023.

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Basic Needs

be 16.1% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Kiribati, approximately 79% of people have access to drinking water (90% in urban areas, and 64% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Botswana, that number is 92% of people on average (97% in urban areas, and 78% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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be 20.8% less likely to have access to electricity

In Kiribati, approximately 96% of people have electricity access (89% in urban areas, and 94% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 76% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 35.8% less likely to have internet access

In Kiribati, approximately 89.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Botswana, about 57.5% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 50.8% less on education

Kiribati spends 16.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Botswana spends 8.1% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

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spend 42.8% less on healthcare

Kiribati spends 10.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 6.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 2.7 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Kiribati, road accidents kill 6.2 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Botswana, they kill 16.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 248.0 times more home broadband

Kiribati has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Botswana has 7.4 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 12.2% more likely to die from air pollution

In Kiribati, air pollution causes 49.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Botswana, it causes 55.0 as of 2019.

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emit 4.6 times more CO2

Kiribati emits 0.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Botswana emits 2.7 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Botswana: At a glance

Botswana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 566,730 sq km. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
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How big is Botswana compared to Kiribati? See an in-depth size comparison.

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