If you lived in Lebanon instead of Mauritania, you would:

Health

live 9.2 years longer

In Mauritania, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In Lebanon, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

see 2.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Mauritania spends $302 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Lebanon spends $644 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 10.3 times more doctors per person

Mauritania has 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Lebanon has 26.8 as of 2020.

View global rankings →

have 82.5% more access to essential health services

Mauritania scores 40 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Lebanon scores 73 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 74.2% less likely to die by suicide

Mauritania has a suicide rate of 2.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Lebanon, it is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 27.6% more likely to be obese

In Mauritania, 24.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Lebanon, that number is 30.7% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 2.0 times more money

Mauritania has a GDP per capita of $2,198 as of 2025, while in Lebanon, the GDP per capita is $4,473 as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Life

be 96.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Mauritania, approximately 381.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Lebanon, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 37.3% more likely to be literate

In Mauritania, the literacy rate is 67.0% as of 2021. In Lebanon, it is 92.0% as of 2019.

View global rankings →

be 49.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Mauritania, approximately 30.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Lebanon, on the other hand, 15.3 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 53.1% fewer children

In Mauritania, there are approximately 34.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Lebanon, there are 16.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 98.8% more likely to have access to electricity

In Mauritania, approximately 50% of people have electricity access (94% in urban areas, and 1% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Lebanon, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 76.1% more likely to have internet access

In Mauritania, approximately 45.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Lebanon, about 80.6% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 19.8% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Mauritania, approximately 77% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Lebanon, 93% of people do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 84.0% less on education

Mauritania spends 7.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Lebanon spends 1.2% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

View global rankings →

spend 28.3% more on healthcare

Mauritania spends 4.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Lebanon, that number is 5.6% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Geography

see 70.2% less coastline

Mauritania has a total of 754 km of coastline. In Lebanon, that number is 225 km.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 2.2 times more likely to be murdered

Mauritania has a homicide rate of 1.0 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In Lebanon, that number is 2.2 per 100,000 as of 2020.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 7.7 times more home broadband

Mauritania has 0.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Lebanon has 7.3 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

live with 4.4 times more strain on fresh water

Mauritania withdraws 13% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Lebanon withdraws 59% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

emit 95.9% more CO2

Mauritania emits 1.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Lebanon emits 1.9 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


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

Lebanon: At a glance

Lebanon is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 10,230 sq km. Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French demarcated the region of Lebanon in 1920 and granted this area independence in 1943. Since independence the country has been marked by periods of political turmoil interspersed with prosperity built on its position as a regional center for finance and trade. The country's 1975-90 civil war that resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities, was followed by years of social and political instability. Sectarianism is a key element of Lebanese political life. Neighboring Syria has long influenced Lebanon's foreign policy and internal policies, and its military occupied Lebanon from 1976 until 2005. The Lebanon-based Hizballah militia and Israel continued attacks and counterattacks against each other after Syria's withdrawal, and fought a brief war in 2006. Lebanon's borders with Syria and Israel remain unresolved.
Read more

How big is Lebanon compared to Mauritania? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

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