If you lived in Guyana instead of Namibia, you would:

Health

be 82.2% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Namibia, 9.0% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 1.6% of people as of 2024.

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live 2.8 years longer

In Namibia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (63 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 70 years (67 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 24.6% more spent on your healthcare

Namibia spends $1,068 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Guyana spends $1,331 as of 2023.

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have 2.5 times more doctors per person

Namibia has 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Guyana has 13.9 as of 2020.

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have 20.6% more access to essential health services

Namibia scores 63 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Guyana scores 76 as of 2021.

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be 65.0% more likely to be obese

In Namibia, 18.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 30.1% of people as of 2024.

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be 2.9 times more likely to die by suicide

Namibia has a suicide rate of 8.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Guyana, it is 24.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 38.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Namibia, 19.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Guyana, that number is 12.0% as of 2025.

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make 6.6 times more money

Namibia has a GDP per capita of $4,876 as of 2025, while in Guyana, the GDP per capita is $32,414 as of 2025.

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Life

be 46.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Namibia, approximately 139.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Guyana, 75.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 36.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Namibia, approximately 36.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Guyana, on the other hand, 23.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 23.2% fewer children

In Namibia, there are approximately 25.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Guyana, there are 19.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 74.4% more likely to have access to electricity

In Namibia, approximately 57% of people have electricity access (75% in urban areas, and 34% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Guyana, that number is 99% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 27.9% more likely to have internet access

In Namibia, approximately 64.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Guyana, about 83.0% do as of 2024.

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be 10.6% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Namibia, approximately 87% of people have access to drinking water (96% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 96% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 73.9% less on healthcare

Namibia spends 9.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Guyana, that number is 2.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 70.8% less coastline

Namibia has a total of 1,572 km of coastline. In Guyana, that number is 459 km.

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Safety

be 30.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Namibia, road accidents kill 22.0 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Guyana, they kill 15.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 70.6% more likely to be murdered

Namibia has a homicide rate of 11.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Guyana, that number is 19.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 4.6 times more home broadband

Namibia has 2.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Guyana has 12.9 as of 2022.

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live with 10.6 times more strain on fresh water

Namibia withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Guyana withdraws 3% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 20.9% more likely to die from air pollution

In Namibia, air pollution causes 43.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Guyana, it causes 52.0 as of 2019.

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emit 3.8 times more CO2

Namibia emits 1.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Guyana emits 4.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Guyana: At a glance

Guyana is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 196,849 sq km. Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR was elected president in 2011.
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How big is Guyana compared to Namibia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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