If you lived in Senegal instead of Niger, you would:

Health

live 7.5 years longer

In Niger, the average life expectancy is 61 years (60 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2024. In Senegal, that number is 69 years (67 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 2.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Niger spends $76 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Senegal spends $206 as of 2023.

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have 2.9 times more doctors per person

Niger has 0.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Senegal has 1.1 as of 2023.

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have 42.9% more access to essential health services

Niger scores 35 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Senegal scores 50 as of 2021.

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be 71.2% more likely to be obese

In Niger, 6.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Senegal, that number is 11.6% of people as of 2024.

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be 50.9% more likely to die by suicide

Niger has a suicide rate of 4.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Senegal, it is 6.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 2.5 times more money

Niger has a GDP per capita of $775 as of 2025, while in Senegal, the GDP per capita is $1,955 as of 2025.

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be 7.0 times more likely to be unemployed

In Niger, 0.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Senegal, that number is 2.7% as of 2025.

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Life

be 32.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Niger, approximately 350.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Senegal, 237.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 41.4% more likely to be literate

In Niger, the literacy rate is 35.6% as of 2022. In Senegal, it is 50.4% as of 2023.

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be 55.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Niger, approximately 65.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Senegal, on the other hand, 28.9 children do as of 2024.

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have 29.6% fewer children

In Niger, there are approximately 41.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Senegal, there are 29.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 3.7 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Niger, approximately 20% of people have electricity access (67% in urban areas, and 10% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Senegal, that number is 74% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 3.9 times more likely to have internet access

In Niger, approximately 15.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Senegal, about 60.1% do as of 2024.

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be 64.8% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Niger, approximately 53% of people have access to drinking water (87% in urban areas, and 46% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Senegal, that number is 88% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 51.4% more on education

Niger spends 4.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Senegal spends 6.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Safety

be 93.9% less likely to be murdered

Niger has a homicide rate of 4.4 per 100,000 people as of 2012. In Senegal, that number is 0.3 per 100,000 as of 2015.

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be 16.5% less likely to die in a road accident

In Niger, road accidents kill 24.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Senegal, they kill 20.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 36.7 times more home broadband

Niger has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Senegal has 4.0 as of 2024.

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use 6.1 times more electricity

Niger uses 68 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Senegal uses 410 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 47.7% more strain on fresh water

Niger withdraws 11% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Senegal withdraws 16% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 30.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Niger, air pollution causes 93.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Senegal, it causes 65.0 as of 2019.

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emit 6.4 times more CO2

Niger emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Senegal emits 0.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2012–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Senegal: At a glance

Senegal is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 192,530 sq km. The French colonies of Senegal and the French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted their independence as the Mali Federation in 1960. The union broke up after only a few months. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. The envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC) has led a low-level separatist insurgency in southern Senegal since the 1980s, and several peace deals have failed to resolve the conflict. Nevertheless, Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa and has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping and regional mediation. Senegal was ruled by a Socialist Party for 40 years until Abdoulaye WADE was elected president in 2000. He was reelected in 2007 and during his two terms amended Senegal's constitution over a dozen times to increase executive power and to weaken the opposition. His decision to run for a third presidential term sparked a large public backlash that led to his defeat in a March 2012 runoff election with Macky SALL.
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How big is Senegal compared to Niger? See an in-depth size comparison.

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