If you lived in Gambia instead of Kuwait, you would:

Health

be 69.3% less likely to be obese

In Kuwait, 40.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Gambia, that number is 12.4% of people as of 2024.

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be 13.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Kuwait, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Gambia, that number is 1.3% of people as of 2024.

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live 18.5 years less

In Kuwait, the average life expectancy is 85 years (84 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024. In Gambia, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 96.3% less spent on your healthcare

Kuwait spends $2,567 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Gambia spends $94 as of 2023.

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have 96.0% fewer doctors per person

Kuwait has 22.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2020. Gambia has 0.9 as of 2023.

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have 41.0% less access to essential health services

Kuwait scores 78 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Gambia scores 46 as of 2021.

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be 2.1 times more likely to die by suicide

Kuwait has a suicide rate of 2.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Gambia, it is 4.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 3.0 times more likely to be unemployed

In Kuwait, 2.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Gambia, that number is 6.5% as of 2025.

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make 97.2% less money

Kuwait has a GDP per capita of $32,312 as of 2025, while in Gambia, the GDP per capita is $919 as of 2025.

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Life

have 3.0 times more children

In Kuwait, there are approximately 10.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Gambia, there are 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 44.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Kuwait, approximately 8.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Gambia, 354.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 46.5% less likely to be literate

In Kuwait, the literacy rate is 96.5% as of 2020. In Gambia, it is 51.6% as of 2021.

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be 4.7 times more likely to die during infancy

In Kuwait, approximately 7.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Gambia, on the other hand, 32.7 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 33.1% less likely to have access to electricity

In Kuwait, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Gambia, that number is 67% of people on average (85% in urban areas, and 35% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 50.5% less likely to have internet access

In Kuwait, approximately 100.0% of the population has internet access as of 2025. In Gambia, about 49.5% do as of 2024.

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be 12.9% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Kuwait, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Gambia, 87% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 56.4% less on education

Kuwait spends 6.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Gambia spends 2.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 41.7% less on healthcare

Kuwait spends 5.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Gambia, that number is 2.9% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 84.0% less coastline

Kuwait has a total of 499 km of coastline. In Gambia, that number is 80 km.

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Safety

be 2.4 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Kuwait, road accidents kill 9.2 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Gambia, they kill 22.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 99.9% less strain on fresh water

Kuwait withdraws 3850% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Gambia withdraws 2% as of 2022.

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find 48.5% less home broadband

Kuwait has 1.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Gambia has 0.5 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 99.2% less CO2

Kuwait emits 23.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Gambia emits 0.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 100.0% more likely to die from air pollution

In Kuwait, air pollution causes 45.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Gambia, it causes 90.0 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

Gambia: At a glance

Gambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 10,120 sq km. The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president in all subsequent elections including most recently in late 2011.
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How big is Gambia compared to Kuwait? See an in-depth size comparison.

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