Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 15.4 years less

In Puerto Rico, the average life expectancy is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022. In Zambia, that number is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 90.1% less money

Puerto Rico has a GDP per capita of $33,400 as of 2020, while in Zambia, the GDP per capita is $3,300 as of 2020.

be 38.9% more likely to be unemployed

In Puerto Rico, 10.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Zambia, that number is 15.0% as of 2008.

Life

have 4.4 times more children

In Puerto Rico, there are approximately 7.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Zambia, there are 34.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 10.1 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Puerto Rico, approximately 21.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Zambia, 213.0 women do as of 2017.

be 6.1 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 Zambia, on the other hand, 37.1 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 63.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Puerto Rico, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2020. In Zambia, 37% of the population do as of 2019.

be 74.4% less likely to have internet access

In Puerto Rico, approximately 78.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Zambia, about 20.0% do as of 2020.

be 28.4% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Puerto Rico, approximately 100% of people have improved drinking water access as of 2020. In Zambia, 72% of people do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 26.2% less on education

Puerto Rico spends 6.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2014. Zambia spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Zambia: At a glance

Zambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 743,398 sq km. The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected president in September 2011.
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How big is Zambia compared to Puerto Rico? See an in-depth size comparison.

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