If you lived in Zambia instead of Liberia, you would:

Health

live 4.2 years longer

In Liberia, the average life expectancy is 62 years (61 years for men, 64 years for women) as of 2024. In Zambia, that number is 67 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 34.9% less likely to be obese

In Liberia, 17.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Zambia, that number is 11.6% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 82.0% more doctors per person

Liberia has 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Zambia has 3.2 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

have 24.4% more access to essential health services

Liberia scores 45 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Zambia scores 56 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 10.4 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Liberia, 0.9% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Zambia, that number is 9.4% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 19.4% more likely to die by suicide

Liberia has a suicide rate of 6.0 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Zambia, it is 7.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 44.0% more money

Liberia has a GDP per capita of $915 as of 2025, while in Zambia, the GDP per capita is $1,318 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Liberia, 2.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Zambia, that number is 5.9% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 86.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Liberia, approximately 628.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Zambia, 85.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 45.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Liberia, approximately 63.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Zambia, on the other hand, 34.6 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 57.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Liberia, approximately 32% of people have electricity access (53% in urban areas, and 9% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Zambia, that number is 51% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 18% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 46.9% less likely to have internet access

In Liberia, approximately 32.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Zambia, about 17.1% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 54.0% less on healthcare

Liberia spends 13.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Zambia, that number is 6.0% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

spend 79.3% more on education

Liberia spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Zambia spends 4.1% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 67.7% more likely to be murdered

Liberia has a homicide rate of 3.1 per 100,000 people as of 2012. In Zambia, that number is 5.2 per 100,000 as of 2015.

View global rankings →

be 11.8% more likely to die in a road accident

In Liberia, road accidents kill 15.3 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Zambia, they kill 17.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 2.9 times more home broadband

Liberia has 0.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Zambia has 0.8 as of 2024.

View global rankings →

live with 10.9 times more strain on fresh water

Liberia withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Zambia withdraws 3% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

be 16.7% less likely to die from air pollution

In Liberia, air pollution causes 60.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Zambia, it causes 50.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →

emit 3.6 times more CO2

Liberia emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Zambia emits 0.5 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2012–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Zambia: At a glance

Zambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 743,398 sq km. The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected president in September 2011.
Read more

How big is Zambia compared to Liberia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Zambia or Liberia. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.