If you lived in Colombia instead of Rwanda, you would:

Health

be 70.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Rwanda, 2.0% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 0.6% of people as of 2024.

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live 9.9 years longer

In Rwanda, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 9.9 times more spent on your healthcare

Rwanda spends $177 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Colombia spends $1,758 as of 2024.

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have 28.2 times more doctors per person

Rwanda has 0.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Colombia has 25.4 as of 2023.

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have 63.3% more access to essential health services

Rwanda scores 49 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Colombia scores 80 as of 2021.

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be 42.9% less likely to die by suicide

Rwanda has a suicide rate of 8.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Colombia, it is 5.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 4.5 times more likely to be obese

In Rwanda, 5.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 24.9% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 27.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Rwanda, 11.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Colombia, that number is 8.3% as of 2025.

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make 7.6 times more money

Rwanda has a GDP per capita of $1,124 as of 2025, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $8,562 as of 2025.

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be 16.1% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Rwanda, 27.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Colombia, however, that number is 31.8% as of 2024.

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Life

be 74.2% less 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 Colombia, 59.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 21.1% more likely to be literate

In Rwanda, the literacy rate is 78.8% as of 2022. In Colombia, it is 95.3% as of 2024.

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be 64.3% less 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 Colombia, on the other hand, 10.5 children do as of 2024.

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have 52.8% fewer children

In Rwanda, there are approximately 28.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Colombia, there are 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 54.5% more 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 Colombia, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 2.5 times more likely to have internet access

In Rwanda, approximately 31.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Colombia, about 79.3% do as of 2024.

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be 58.2% more 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 Colombia, that number is 97% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 58.7% more on healthcare

Rwanda spends 5.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Colombia, that number is 8.1% of GDP as of 2024.

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Safety

be 6.9 times more likely to be murdered

Rwanda has a homicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In Colombia, that number is 24.9 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 39.7% more likely to die in a road accident

In Rwanda, road accidents kill 11.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Colombia, they kill 16.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 28.7 times more home broadband

Rwanda has 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Colombia has 17.2 as of 2024.

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live with 82.0% less strain on fresh water

Rwanda withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Colombia withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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use 20.2 times more electricity

Rwanda uses 77 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Colombia uses 1,551 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 61.3% less likely to die from air pollution

In Rwanda, air pollution causes 62.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Colombia, it causes 24.0 as of 2019.

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emit 11.2 times more CO2

Rwanda emits 0.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Colombia emits 1.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Colombia: At a glance

Colombia is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,038,700 sq km. Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. In November 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
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How big is Colombia compared to Rwanda? See an in-depth size comparison.

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