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

Health

be 71.9% less likely to be obese

In Mauritania, 24.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Niger, that number is 6.8% of people as of 2024.

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live 7.3 years less

In Mauritania, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In Niger, that number is 61 years (60 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 74.6% less spent on your healthcare

Mauritania spends $302 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Niger spends $76 as of 2023.

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have 85.4% fewer doctors per person

Mauritania has 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Niger has 0.4 as of 2023.

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have 12.5% less access to essential health services

Mauritania scores 40 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Niger scores 35 as of 2021.

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be 65.3% more likely to die by suicide

Mauritania has a suicide rate of 2.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Niger, it is 4.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 96.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Mauritania, 10.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Niger, that number is 0.4% as of 2025.

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be 29.6% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Mauritania, 31.8% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Niger, however, that number is 41.2% as of 2021.

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make 64.7% less money

Mauritania has a GDP per capita of $2,198 as of 2025, while in Niger, the GDP per capita is $775 as of 2025.

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Life

have 21.7% more children

In Mauritania, there are approximately 34.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Niger, there are 41.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 46.9% less likely to be literate

In Mauritania, the literacy rate is 67.0% as of 2021. In Niger, it is 35.6% as of 2022.

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be 2.2 times more 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 Niger, on the other hand, 65.6 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 60.0% less 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 Niger, that number is 20% of people on average (67% in urban areas, and 10% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 66.0% less likely to have internet access

In Mauritania, approximately 45.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Niger, about 15.6% do as of 2024.

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be 30.9% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Mauritania, approximately 77% of people have access to drinking water (90% in urban areas, and 59% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Niger, that number is 53% of people on average (87% in urban areas, and 46% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 46.5% less on education

Mauritania spends 7.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Niger spends 4.1% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Safety

be 2.6 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Mauritania, road accidents kill 9.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Niger, they kill 24.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 16.8% less strain on fresh water

Mauritania withdraws 13% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Niger withdraws 11% as of 2022.

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find 88.4% less home broadband

Mauritania has 0.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Niger has 0.1 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 87.6% less CO2

Mauritania emits 1.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Niger emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 50.0% more likely to die from air pollution

In Mauritania, air pollution causes 62.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Niger, it causes 93.0 as of 2019.

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