If you lived in Maldives instead of Republic of the Congo, you would:

Health

be 96.9% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Republic of the Congo, 3.2% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Maldives, that number is 0.1% of people as of 2024.

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live 15.3 years longer

In Republic of the Congo, the average life expectancy is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Maldives, that number is 81 years (80 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 11.0 times more spent on your healthcare

Republic of the Congo spends $209 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Maldives spends $2,288 as of 2023.

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have 12.9 times more doctors per person

Republic of the Congo has 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Maldives has 22.4 as of 2019.

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have 48.8% more access to essential health services

Republic of the Congo scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Maldives scores 61 as of 2021.

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be 78.1% less likely to die by suicide

Republic of the Congo has a suicide rate of 6.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Maldives, it is 1.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 46.4% more likely to be obese

In Republic of the Congo, 12.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Maldives, that number is 17.9% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 77.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Republic of the Congo, 19.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Maldives, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.

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make 5.8 times more money

Republic of the Congo has a GDP per capita of $2,515 as of 2025, while in Maldives, the GDP per capita is $14,615 as of 2025.

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Life

be 86.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 241.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Maldives, 32.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 21.5% more likely to be literate

In Republic of the Congo, the literacy rate is 80.6% as of 2021. In Maldives, it is 97.9% as of 2021.

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be 82.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 27.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Maldives, on the other hand, 4.7 children do as of 2024.

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have 65.2% fewer children

In Republic of the Congo, there are approximately 30.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Maldives, there are 10.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 94.9% more likely to have access to electricity

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 51% of people have electricity access (69% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Maldives, 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 80.4% more likely to have internet access

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 47.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Maldives, about 85.2% do as of 2024.

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be 35.7% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 73% of people have access to drinking water (87% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2021. In Maldives, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 54.8% more on education

Republic of the Congo spends 3.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Maldives spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 2.8 times more on healthcare

Republic of the Congo spends 3.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Maldives, that number is 9.2% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 3.8 times more coastline

Republic of the Congo has a total of 169 km of coastline. In Maldives, that number is 644 km.

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Safety

be 84.5% less likely to die in a road accident

In Republic of the Congo, road accidents kill 8.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Maldives, they kill 1.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 15.5 times more home broadband

Republic of the Congo has 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Maldives has 19.6 as of 2024.

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live with 522.3 times more strain on fresh water

Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Maldives withdraws 16% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 56.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Republic of the Congo, air pollution causes 66.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Maldives, it causes 29.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.7 times more CO2

Republic of the Congo emits 1.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Maldives emits 3.6 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

Maldives: At a glance

Maldives is a sovereign country in South Asia, with a total land area of approximately 298 sq km. A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated the islands' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following political demonstrations in the capital Male in August 2003, the president and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was sluggish, however, and many promised reforms were slow to be realized. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution, which was ratified by the president in August. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the former regime. President NASHEED faced a number of challenges including strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse. In early February 2012, after several weeks of street protests following his sacking of a top judge, NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. In mid-2012, a Commission of National Inquiry was set by the government to probe events leading up to NASHEED's resignation. Though the commission found no evidence of a coup, the report recommended the need to strengthen the country's democratic institutions to avert similar events in the future, and to further investigate alleged police misconduct during the crisis. Maldivian officials have played a prominent role in international climate change discussions (due to the islands' low elevation and the threat from sea-level rise) on the UN Human Rights Council and in other international forums, as well as in encouraging regional cooperation, especially between India and Pakistan.
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