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

Health

live 5.3 years longer

In Mauritania, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 71 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 4.9 times more spent on your healthcare

Mauritania spends $302 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Paraguay spends $1,469 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 14.9 times more doctors per person

Mauritania has 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Paraguay has 38.9 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

have 80.0% more access to essential health services

Mauritania scores 40 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Paraguay scores 72 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 44.0% more likely to be obese

In Mauritania, 24.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Paraguay, that number is 34.7% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 2.3 times more likely to die by suicide

Mauritania has a suicide rate of 2.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Paraguay, it is 6.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 53.5% less likely to be unemployed

In Mauritania, 10.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Paraguay, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

make 3.2 times more money

Mauritania has a GDP per capita of $2,198 as of 2025, while in Paraguay, the GDP per capita is $7,027 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 84.8% 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 Paraguay, 58.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 41.6% more likely to be literate

In Mauritania, the literacy rate is 67.0% as of 2021. In Paraguay, it is 94.9% as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 52.0% 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 Paraguay, on the other hand, 14.5 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 42.0% fewer children

In Mauritania, there are approximately 34.0 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 98.4% 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 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 78.2% more likely to have internet access

In Mauritania, approximately 45.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Paraguay, about 81.6% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 28.9% more 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 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 53.6% less on education

Mauritania spends 7.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Paraguay spends 3.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

View global rankings →

spend 92.6% more on healthcare

Mauritania spends 4.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Paraguay, that number is 8.4% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 6.8 times more likely to be murdered

Mauritania has a homicide rate of 1.0 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In Paraguay, that number is 6.8 per 100,000 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 2.2 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Mauritania, road accidents kill 9.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Paraguay, they kill 21.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 13.6 times more home broadband

Mauritania has 0.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Paraguay has 12.9 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

live with 86.1% less strain on fresh water

Mauritania withdraws 13% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Paraguay withdraws 2% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

be 59.7% less likely to die from air pollution

In Mauritania, air pollution causes 62.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Paraguay, it causes 25.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →

emit 19.6% more CO2

Mauritania emits 1.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Paraguay emits 1.2 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021). 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 Mauritania? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

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