If you lived in Guyana instead of Puerto Rico, you would:

Health

be 28.9% less likely to be obese

In Puerto Rico, 42.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 30.1% of people as of 2024.

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live 11.6 years less

In Puerto Rico, the average life expectancy is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 70 years (67 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 4.6 times more likely to die by suicide

Puerto Rico has a suicide rate of 5.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Guyana, it is 24.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 99.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Puerto Rico, 6.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Guyana, that number is 12.0% as of 2025.

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make 20.2% less money

Puerto Rico has a GDP per capita of $40,620 as of 2025, while in Guyana, the GDP per capita is $32,414 as of 2025.

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Life

have 3.5 times more children

In Puerto Rico, there are approximately 5.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Guyana, there are 19.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 6.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Puerto Rico, approximately 11.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Guyana, 75.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 3.8 times more likely to die during infancy

In Puerto Rico, approximately 6.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Guyana, on the other hand, 23.2 children do as of 2024.

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Safety

be 31.0% more likely to be murdered

Puerto Rico has a homicide rate of 14.6 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Guyana, that number is 19.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 21.6% more likely to die in a road accident

In Puerto Rico, road accidents kill 12.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Guyana, they kill 15.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 83.1% less strain on fresh water

Puerto Rico withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Guyana withdraws 3% as of 2022.

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find 53.8% less home broadband

Puerto Rico has 28.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Guyana has 12.9 as of 2022.

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

Guyana: At a glance

Guyana is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 196,849 sq km. Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR was elected president in 2011.
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How big is Guyana compared to Puerto Rico? See an in-depth size comparison.

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