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

Health

be 36.3% less likely to be obese

In Nicaragua, 34.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, that number is 22.2% of people as of 2024.

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see 83.5% more spent on your healthcare

Nicaragua spends $689 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Turkmenistan spends $1,264 as of 2023.

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live 4.9 years less

In Nicaragua, the average life expectancy is 75 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, that number is 70 years (67 years for men, 73 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 61.1% more likely to die by suicide

Nicaragua has a suicide rate of 4.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Turkmenistan, it is 6.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 15.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Nicaragua, 5.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Turkmenistan, that number is 4.3% as of 2025.

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make 2.1 times more money

Nicaragua has a GDP per capita of $3,173 as of 2025, while in Turkmenistan, the GDP per capita is $6,540 as of 2025.

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Life

be 91.7% less 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 Turkmenistan, 5.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 3.2 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 Turkmenistan, on the other hand, 30.4 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 13.3% more 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 Turkmenistan, 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 58.8% less likely to have internet access

In Nicaragua, approximately 61.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, about 25.3% do as of 2022.

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Expenditures

spend 33.7% less on healthcare

Nicaragua spends 8.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Turkmenistan, that number is 5.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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spend 49.5% more on education

Nicaragua spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Turkmenistan spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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Safety

be 41.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Nicaragua, road accidents kill 13.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Turkmenistan, they kill 8.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

use 4.3 times more electricity

Nicaragua uses 641 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Turkmenistan uses 2,778 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 60.9 times more strain on fresh water

Nicaragua withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Turkmenistan withdraws 135% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 2.3 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Nicaragua, air pollution causes 38.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Turkmenistan, it causes 87.0 as of 2019.

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emit 13.1 times more CO2

Nicaragua emits 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Turkmenistan emits 10.9 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2022). How we calculate this

Turkmenistan: At a glance

Turkmenistan is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 469,930 sq km. Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim crusaders, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times Merv (today known as Mary) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited, have begun to transform the country. Turkmenistan is moving to expand its extraction and delivery projects. The Government of Turkmenistan is actively working to diversify its gas export routes beyond the still important Russian pipeline network. In 2010, new gas export pipelines that carry Turkmen gas to China and to northern Iran began operating, effectively ending the Russian monopoly on Turkmen gas exports. President for Life Saparmurat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy cabinet chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president; he was chosen as president again in February 2012, in an election that the OSCE said lacked the freedoms necessary to create a competitive environment.
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