If you lived in Niger instead of Madagascar, you would:

Health

see 21.7% more spent on your healthcare

Madagascar spends $63 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Niger spends $76 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 26.4% less likely to die by suicide

Madagascar has a suicide rate of 6.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Niger, it is 4.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

live 2.4 years less

In Madagascar, the average life expectancy is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024. In Niger, that number is 61 years (60 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 50.1% more likely to be obese

In Madagascar, 4.5% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Niger, that number is 6.8% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 77.9% fewer doctors per person

Madagascar has 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Niger has 0.4 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 87.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Madagascar, 3.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Niger, that number is 0.4% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 45.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Madagascar, 75.2% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Niger, however, that number is 41.2% as of 2021.

View global rankings →

make 29.4% more money

Madagascar has a GDP per capita of $599 as of 2025, while in Niger, the GDP per capita is $775 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 21.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Madagascar, approximately 445.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Niger, 350.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 30.6% more children

In Madagascar, there are approximately 31.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Niger, there are 41.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 52.3% less likely to be literate

In Madagascar, the literacy rate is 74.7% as of 2021. In Niger, it is 35.6% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

be 52.6% more likely to die during infancy

In Madagascar, approximately 43.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Niger, on the other hand, 65.6 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 49.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Madagascar, approximately 39% of people have electricity access (76% in urban areas, and 15% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Niger, that number is 20% of people on average (67% in urban areas, and 10% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 16.7% less likely to have internet access

In Madagascar, approximately 18.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Niger, about 15.6% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 33.4% more on education

Madagascar spends 3.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Niger spends 4.1% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

View global rankings →

spend 18.1% more on healthcare

Madagascar spends 3.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Niger, that number is 4.0% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 10.7% more likely to die in a road accident

In Madagascar, road accidents kill 22.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Niger, they kill 24.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

use 15.4% less electricity

Madagascar uses 80 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Niger uses 68 kWh as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Environment

emit 20.0% less CO2

Madagascar emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Niger emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 60.3% more likely to die from air pollution

In Madagascar, air pollution causes 58.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Niger, it causes 93.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →


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

Niger: At a glance

Niger is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 1,266,700 sq km. Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a counter coup by military officers who restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and in 2009 spearheaded a constitutional amendment that would allow him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, a military coup deposed TANDJA, immediately suspended the constitution, and dissolved the Cabinet. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou emerged victorious from a crowded field in the election following the coup and was inaugurated in April 2011. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Movement for Justice, a predominantly ethnic Tuareg rebel group, emerged in February 2007, and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Successful government offensives in 2009 ended the rebellion. Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria.
Read more

How big is Niger compared to Madagascar? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

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