If you lived in Uganda instead of Malaysia, you would:

Health

be 59.4% less likely to be obese

In Malaysia, 23.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Uganda, that number is 9.5% of people as of 2024.

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be 16.3 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Malaysia, 0.3% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Uganda, that number is 4.9% of people as of 2024.

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live 8.3 years less

In Malaysia, the average life expectancy is 77 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024. In Uganda, that number is 68 years (65 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 90.4% less spent on your healthcare

Malaysia spends $1,441 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Uganda spends $139 as of 2023.

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have 91.8% fewer doctors per person

Malaysia has 23.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Uganda has 1.9 as of 2022.

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have 35.5% less access to essential health services

Malaysia scores 76 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Uganda scores 49 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 26.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Malaysia, 3.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Uganda, that number is 2.8% as of 2025.

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be 3.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Malaysia, 5.1% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Uganda, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2023.

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make 90.8% less money

Malaysia has a GDP per capita of $13,125 as of 2025, while in Uganda, the GDP per capita is $1,206 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.8 times more children

In Malaysia, there are approximately 12.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Uganda, there are 34.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 6.5 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Malaysia, approximately 26.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Uganda, 170.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 19.6% less likely to be literate

In Malaysia, the literacy rate is 95.8% as of 2022. In Uganda, it is 77.0% as of 2024.

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be 5.1 times more likely to die during infancy

In Malaysia, approximately 7.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Uganda, on the other hand, 35.9 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 48.5% less likely to have access to electricity

In Malaysia, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Uganda, that number is 52% of people on average (76% in urban areas, and 42% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 90.9% less likely to have internet access

In Malaysia, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Uganda, about 8.9% do as of 2024.

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be 35.7% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Malaysia, approximately 98% of people have access to drinking water (99% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Uganda, that number is 63% of people on average (80% in urban areas, and 57% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 27.1% less on education

Malaysia spends 3.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Uganda spends 2.6% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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Safety

be 12.3 times more likely to be murdered

Malaysia has a homicide rate of 0.7 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Uganda, that number is 9.0 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 15.1% more likely to die in a road accident

In Malaysia, road accidents kill 13.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Uganda, they kill 16.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 98.5% less home broadband

Malaysia has 13.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Uganda has 0.2 as of 2024.

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live with 69.5% more strain on fresh water

Malaysia withdraws 3% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Uganda withdraws 6% as of 2022.

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use 98.1% less electricity

Malaysia uses 5,084 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Uganda uses 95 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 98.0% less CO2

Malaysia emits 8.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Uganda emits 0.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Uganda: At a glance

Uganda is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 197,100 sq km. The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the establishment of a working political community after independence was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986 has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. A constitutional referendum in 2005 cancelled a 19-year ban on multi-party politics.
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