If you lived in Central African Republic instead of Rwanda, you would:

Health

be 20.0% more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Rwanda, 2.0% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 2.4% of people as of 2024.

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live 10.3 years less

In Rwanda, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 58 years (56 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 95.9% more likely to be obese

In Rwanda, 5.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 10.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 22.8% less spent on your healthcare

Rwanda spends $177 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Central African Republic spends $137 as of 2023.

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have 17.8% fewer doctors per person

Rwanda has 0.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Central African Republic has 0.7 as of 2023.

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have 34.7% less access to essential health services

Rwanda scores 49 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Central African Republic scores 32 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 45.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Rwanda, 11.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Central African Republic, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

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be 2.5 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Rwanda, 27.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Central African Republic, however, that number is 68.8% as of 2021.

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make 50.5% less money

Rwanda has a GDP per capita of $1,124 as of 2025, while in Central African Republic, the GDP per capita is $556 as of 2025.

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Life

have 64.6% more children

In Rwanda, there are approximately 28.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Central African Republic, there are 46.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Rwanda, approximately 229.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Central African Republic, 692.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 52.4% less likely to be literate

In Rwanda, the literacy rate is 78.8% as of 2022. In Central African Republic, it is 37.5% as of 2020.

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be 100.0% more likely to die during infancy

In Rwanda, approximately 29.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Central African Republic, on the other hand, 58.8 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 72.5% less likely to have access to electricity

In Rwanda, approximately 64% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 58% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 18% of people on average (37% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 56.5% less likely to have internet access

In Rwanda, approximately 31.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Central African Republic, about 13.8% do as of 2024.

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be 40.5% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Rwanda, approximately 61% of people have access to drinking water (88% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 36% of people on average (48% in urban areas, and 27% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 60.3% less on education

Rwanda spends 4.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Central African Republic spends 1.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 2.1 times more on healthcare

Rwanda spends 5.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 10.7% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 2.2 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Rwanda, road accidents kill 11.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Central African Republic, they kill 25.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 98.3% less strain on fresh water

Rwanda withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Central African Republic withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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find 96.7% less home broadband

Rwanda has 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Central African Republic has 0.0 as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 62.5% less CO2

Rwanda emits 0.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Central African Republic emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 58.1% more likely to die from air pollution

In Rwanda, air pollution causes 62.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Central African Republic, it causes 98.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this

Central African Republic: At a glance

Central African Republic is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 622,984 sq km. The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March, 2003 President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as flawed. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. The militant group the Lord's Resistance Army continues to destabilize southeastern Central African Republic, and several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - who are unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership. In March 2013, the coalition government dissolved, rebels seized the capital, and President BOZIZE fled the country. Rebel leader Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency, reappointed Nicolas TIANGAYE as Prime Minister, and established a transitional government on 31 March. On 13 April 2013, the National Transitional Council affirmed DJOTODIA as President.
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