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

Health

be 65.0% less likely to be obese

In Nicaragua, 34.9% 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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live 9.1 years less

In Nicaragua, the average life expectancy is 75 years (72 years for men, 78 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 69.7% less spent on your healthcare

Nicaragua spends $689 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Republic of the Congo spends $209 as of 2023.

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have 41.4% less access to essential health services

Nicaragua scores 70 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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be 58.3% more likely to die by suicide

Nicaragua has a suicide rate of 4.2 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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Economy

be 3.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In Nicaragua, 5.0% 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 20.8% less money

Nicaragua has a GDP per capita of $3,173 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 58.9% more children

In Nicaragua, there are approximately 19.1 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 4.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Nicaragua, approximately 60.0 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 2.9 times more likely to die during infancy

In Nicaragua, approximately 9.4 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 41.9% less likely to have access to electricity

In Nicaragua, approximately 88% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 71% 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 23.0% less likely to have internet access

In Nicaragua, approximately 61.4% 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 11.7% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Nicaragua, approximately 83% of people have access to drinking water (98% in urban areas, and 63% in rural areas) as of 2020. 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 60.2% less on healthcare

Nicaragua spends 8.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 3.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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spend 16.4% more on education

Nicaragua spends 2.9% 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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Geography

see 81.4% less coastline

Nicaragua has a total of 910 km of coastline. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 169 km.

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Safety

be 38.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Nicaragua, road accidents kill 13.6 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 98.6% less strain on fresh water

Nicaragua withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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find 78.0% less home broadband

Nicaragua has 5.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Republic of the Congo has 1.3 as of 2023.

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use 47.2% less electricity

Nicaragua uses 641 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Republic of the Congo uses 338 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 73.7% more likely to die from air pollution

In Nicaragua, air pollution causes 38.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Republic of the Congo, it causes 66.0 as of 2019.

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emit 61.4% more CO2

Nicaragua emits 0.8 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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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2020), World Health Organization (2024). 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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How big is Republic of the Congo compared to Nicaragua? See an in-depth size comparison.

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