If you lived in Republic of the Congo instead of New Zealand, you would:

Health

be 64.1% less likely to be obese

In New Zealand, 34.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 12.2% of people as of 2024.

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be 43.7% less likely to die by suicide

New Zealand has a suicide rate of 11.9 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Republic of the Congo, it is 6.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 32.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In New Zealand, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 3.2% of people as of 2024.

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live 16.0 years less

In New Zealand, the average life expectancy is 82 years (80 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 96.3% less spent on your healthcare

New Zealand spends $5,576 per person on healthcare as of 2024 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Republic of the Congo spends $209 as of 2023.

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have 95.2% fewer doctors per person

New Zealand has 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Republic of the Congo has 1.7 as of 2022.

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have 51.8% less access to essential health services

New Zealand scores 85 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Republic of the Congo scores 41 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 3.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In New Zealand, 5.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 19.9% as of 2025.

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make 94.9% less money

New Zealand has a GDP per capita of $49,591 as of 2025, while in Republic of the Congo, the GDP per capita is $2,515 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.8 times more children

In New Zealand, there are approximately 11.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, there are 30.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 34.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In New Zealand, approximately 7.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Republic of the Congo, 241.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 6.8 times more likely to die during infancy

In New Zealand, approximately 4.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, on the other hand, 27.0 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 48.7% less likely to have access to electricity

In New Zealand, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 51% of people on average (69% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 49.5% less likely to have internet access

In New Zealand, approximately 93.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, about 47.2% do as of 2024.

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be 26.5% less likely to have access to drinking water

In New Zealand, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 73% of people on average (87% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2021.

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Expenditures

spend 35.9% less on education

New Zealand spends 5.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Republic of the Congo spends 3.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 67.2% less on healthcare

New Zealand spends 10.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 3.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 98.9% less coastline

New Zealand has a total of 15,134 km of coastline. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 169 km.

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Safety

be 27.3% more likely to die in a road accident

In New Zealand, road accidents kill 6.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Republic of the Congo, they kill 8.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 99.6% less strain on fresh water

New Zealand withdraws 8% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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find 96.7% less home broadband

New Zealand has 38.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Republic of the Congo has 1.3 as of 2023.

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use 95.8% less electricity

New Zealand uses 7,989 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Republic of the Congo uses 338 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 77.7% less CO2

New Zealand emits 6.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Republic of the Congo emits 1.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 5.5 times more likely to die from air pollution

In New Zealand, air pollution causes 12.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Republic of the Congo, it causes 66.0 as of 2019.

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

Republic of the Congo: At a glance

Republic of the Congo is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 341,500 sq km. Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.
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