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

Health

live 10.1 years longer

In Madagascar, the average life expectancy is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 74 years (71 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

see 23.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Madagascar spends $63 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Paraguay spends $1,469 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 22.6 times more doctors per person

Madagascar has 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Paraguay has 38.9 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

have 2.1 times more access to essential health services

Madagascar scores 35 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Paraguay scores 72 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 7.7 times more likely to be obese

In Madagascar, 4.5% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 34.7% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 11.7 times more money

Madagascar has a GDP per capita of $599 as of 2025, while in Paraguay, the GDP per capita is $7,027 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 57.9% more likely to be unemployed

In Madagascar, 3.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Paraguay, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 87.0% 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 Paraguay, 58.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 27.0% more likely to be literate

In Madagascar, the literacy rate is 74.7% as of 2021. In Paraguay, it is 94.9% as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 66.3% less 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 Paraguay, on the other hand, 14.5 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 37.8% fewer children

In Madagascar, there are approximately 31.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Paraguay, there are 19.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 2.5 times more 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 Paraguay, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 4.4 times more likely to have internet access

In Madagascar, approximately 18.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Paraguay, about 81.6% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 80.0% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Madagascar, approximately 55% of people have access to drinking water (78% in urban areas, and 39% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 15.7% more on education

Madagascar spends 3.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Paraguay spends 3.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

View global rankings →

spend 2.4 times more on healthcare

Madagascar spends 3.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Paraguay, that number is 8.4% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 107.3 times more home broadband

Madagascar has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Paraguay has 12.9 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

live with 83.7% less strain on fresh water

Madagascar withdraws 11% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Paraguay withdraws 2% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

use 29.8 times more electricity

Madagascar uses 80 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Paraguay uses 2,389 kWh as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Environment

be 56.9% less likely to die from air pollution

In Madagascar, air pollution causes 58.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Paraguay, it causes 25.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →

emit 7.7 times more CO2

Madagascar emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Paraguay emits 1.2 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


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

Paraguay: At a glance

Paraguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 397,302 sq km. Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811. In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - Paraguay lost two-thirds of its adult males and much of its territory. The country stagnated economically for the next half century. Following the Chaco War of 1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of the Chaco lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since the country's return to democracy.
Read more

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

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

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