If you lived in Puerto Rico instead of Namibia, you would:

Health

live 14.4 years longer

In Namibia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (63 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, that number is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 36.9% less likely to die by suicide

Namibia has a suicide rate of 8.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Puerto Rico, it is 5.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.3 times more likely to be obese

In Namibia, 18.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, that number is 42.4% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 68.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Namibia, 19.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Puerto Rico, that number is 6.0% as of 2025.

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make 8.3 times more money

Namibia has a GDP per capita of $4,876 as of 2025, while in Puerto Rico, the GDP per capita is $40,620 as of 2025.

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Life

be 92.1% 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 Puerto Rico, 11.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 83.4% 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 Puerto Rico, on the other hand, 6.0 children do as of 2022.

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have 78.0% fewer children

In Namibia, there are approximately 25.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, there are 5.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 76.4% 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 Puerto Rico, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 34.6% more likely to have internet access

In Namibia, approximately 64.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, about 87.3% do as of 2022.

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be 15.6% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Namibia, approximately 87% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Puerto Rico, 100% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 53.0% less on education

Namibia spends 9.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Puerto Rico spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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Geography

see 68.1% less coastline

Namibia has a total of 1,572 km of coastline. In Puerto Rico, that number is 501 km.

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Safety

be 43.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Namibia, road accidents kill 22.0 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Puerto Rico, they kill 12.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 30.2% more likely to be murdered

Namibia has a homicide rate of 11.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Puerto Rico, that number is 14.6 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 9.9 times more home broadband

Namibia has 2.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Puerto Rico has 28.0 as of 2024.

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live with 63.0 times more strain on fresh water

Namibia withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Puerto Rico withdraws 20% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 4.0 times more CO2

Namibia emits 1.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Puerto Rico emits 4.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Puerto Rico: At a glance

Puerto Rico is a territory in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 8,959 sq km. Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Christopher COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status with the US, but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood.
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How big is Puerto Rico compared to Namibia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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