If you lived in Burma instead of Pakistan, you would:

Health

be 66.8% less likely to be obese

In Pakistan, 24.5% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Burma, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2024.

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see 86.2% more spent on your healthcare

Pakistan spends $152 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burma spends $283 as of 2023.

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have 15.6% more access to essential health services

Pakistan scores 45 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Burma scores 52 as of 2021.

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be 48.8% less likely to die by suicide

Pakistan has a suicide rate of 5.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Burma, it is 2.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 0.7 years less

In Pakistan, the average life expectancy is 68 years (65 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In Burma, that number is 67 years (64 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 34.7% fewer doctors per person

Pakistan has 11.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. Burma has 7.6 as of 2019.

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Economy

be 43.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Pakistan, 5.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Burma, that number is 3.0% as of 2025.

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Life

be 58.9% more likely to be literate

In Pakistan, the literacy rate is 58.9% as of 2021. In Burma, it is 93.5% as of 2020.

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be 32.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Pakistan, approximately 48.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Burma, on the other hand, 32.8 children do as of 2024.

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be 19.4% more likely to die during childbirth

In Pakistan, approximately 155.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Burma, 185.0 women do as of 2023.

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have 39.9% fewer children

In Pakistan, there are approximately 27.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Burma, there are 16.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 19.7% less likely to have access to electricity

In Pakistan, approximately 96% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 93% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Burma, that number is 77% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 69% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 23.1% less likely to have internet access

In Pakistan, approximately 57.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burma, about 44.0% do as of 2021.

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Expenditures

spend 77.0% more on healthcare

Pakistan spends 2.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Burma, that number is 4.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 84.5% more coastline

Pakistan has a total of 1,046 km of coastline. In Burma, that number is 1,930 km.

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Safety

be 40.4% less likely to be murdered

Pakistan has a homicide rate of 4.3 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Burma, that number is 2.6 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 62.2% more likely to die in a road accident

In Pakistan, road accidents kill 11.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Burma, they kill 19.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 95.2% more home broadband

Pakistan has 1.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Burma has 2.9 as of 2024.

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live with 94.7% less strain on fresh water

Pakistan withdraws 110% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burma withdraws 6% as of 2022.

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use 28.9% less electricity

Pakistan uses 518 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Burma uses 368 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 32.4% less likely to die from air pollution

In Pakistan, air pollution causes 105.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Burma, it causes 71.0 as of 2019.

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emit 28.4% less CO2

Pakistan emits 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burma emits 0.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Burma: At a glance

Burma is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 653,508 sq km. Various ethnic Burmese and ethnic minority city-states or kingdoms occupied the present borders through the 19th century. Over a period of 62 years (1824-1886), Britain conquered Burma and incorporated the country into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; in 1948, Burma attained independence from the British Commonwealth. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In response to widespread civil unrest, NE WIN resigned in 1988, but within months the military crushed student-led protests and took power. Multiparty legislative elections in 1990 resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory. Instead of handing over power, the junta placed NLD leader (and Nobel Peace Prize recipient) AUNG SAN SUU KYI (ASSK) under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, 2000 to 2002, and from May 2003 to November 2010. In late September 2007, the ruling junta brutally suppressed protests over increased fuel prices led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks, killing at least 13 people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. In early May 2008, Burma was struck by Cyclone Nargis, which left over 138,000 dead and tens of thousands injured and homeless. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990. Parliamentary elections held in November 2010, considered flawed by many in the international community, saw the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party garner over 75% of the seats. Parliament convened in January 2011 and selected former Prime Minister THEIN SEIN as president. Although the vast majority of national-level appointees named by THEIN SEIN are former or current military officers, the government has initiated a series of political and economic reforms leading to a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. These reforms have included allowing ASSK to contest parliamentary by-elections on 1 April 2012, releasing hundreds of political prisoners, reaching preliminary peace agreements with 10 of the 11 major armed ethnic groups, enacting laws that provide better protections for basic human rights, and gradually reducing restrictions on freedom of the press, association, and civil society. At least due in part to these reforms, ASSK now serves as an elected Member of Parliament and chair of the Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility. Most political parties have begun building their institutions in preparation for the next round of general elections in 2015. The country is the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2014.
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