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

Health

be 84.4% 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 Portugal, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2024.

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live 16.4 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 Portugal, that number is 82 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 23.6 times more spent on your healthcare

Republic of the Congo spends $209 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Portugal spends $4,928 as of 2024.

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have 33.8 times more doctors per person

Republic of the Congo has 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Portugal has 58.5 as of 2022.

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have 2.1 times more access to essential health services

Republic of the Congo scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Portugal scores 88 as of 2021.

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be 48.1% more likely to be obese

In Republic of the Congo, 12.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 18.1% of people as of 2024.

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be 71.7% more likely to die by suicide

Republic of the Congo has a suicide rate of 6.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Portugal, it is 11.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 69.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Republic of the Congo, 19.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Portugal, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

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make 12.8 times more money

Republic of the Congo has a GDP per capita of $2,515 as of 2025, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $32,082 as of 2025.

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Life

be 93.8% 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 Portugal, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 19.0% more likely to be literate

In Republic of the Congo, the literacy rate is 80.6% as of 2021. In Portugal, it is 95.9% as of 2021.

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be 90.0% 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 Portugal, on the other hand, 2.7 children do as of 2024.

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have 74.0% fewer children

In Republic of the Congo, there are approximately 30.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Portugal, there are 7.9 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 Portugal, 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 87.3% more likely to have internet access

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 47.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Portugal, about 88.5% do as of 2024.

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be 35.1% 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 Portugal, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 36.2% more on education

Republic of the Congo spends 3.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Portugal spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 3.1 times more on healthcare

Republic of the Congo spends 3.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 10.2% of GDP as of 2024.

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Geography

see 10.6 times more coastline

Republic of the Congo has a total of 169 km of coastline. In Portugal, that number is 1,793 km.

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Safety

be 14.3% 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 Portugal, they kill 7.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 35.6 times more home broadband

Republic of the Congo has 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Portugal has 45.2 as of 2024.

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use 15.6 times more electricity

Republic of the Congo uses 338 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Portugal uses 5,294 kWh as of 2024.

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live with 410.7 times more strain on fresh water

Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Portugal withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 84.8% 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 Portugal, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.5 times more CO2

Republic of the Congo emits 1.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Portugal emits 3.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Portugal: At a glance

Portugal is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 91,470 sq km. Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
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