Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Colombia instead of Nicaragua, you would:

Economy

make 2.5 times more money

Nicaragua has a GDP per capita of $5,300 as of 2020, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $13,400 as of 2020.

be 64.1% more likely to be unemployed

In Nicaragua, 6.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Colombia, that number is 10.5% as of 2019.

be 43.4% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Nicaragua, 24.9% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Colombia, however, that number is 35.7% as of 2019.

pay a 10.0% higher top tax rate

Nicaragua has a top tax rate of 30.0% as of 2016. In Colombia, the top tax rate is 33.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 58.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Nicaragua, approximately 198.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Colombia, 83.0 women do as of 2017.

be 15.7% more likely to be literate

In Nicaragua, the literacy rate is 82.6% as of 2015. In Colombia, it is 95.6% as of 2020.

be 39.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Nicaragua, approximately 19.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Colombia, on the other hand, 11.7 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 55.6% more likely to have internet access

In Nicaragua, approximately 45.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Colombia, about 70.0% do as of 2020.

be 17.4% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Nicaragua, approximately 83% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 63% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Colombia, that number is 98% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 88% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 32.4% more on education

Nicaragua spends 3.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Colombia spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

Geography

see 3.5 times more coastline

Nicaragua has a total of 910 km of coastline. In Colombia, that number is 3,208 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: General Directorate of Revenues, The World Factbook, Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN).

Colombia: At a glance

Colombia is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,038,700 sq km. Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. In November 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
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How big is Colombia compared to Nicaragua? See an in-depth size comparison.

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