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

Health

be 80.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Rwanda, 2.0% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Ecuador, that number is 0.4% of people as of 2024.

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live 9.6 years longer

In Rwanda, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In Ecuador, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 7.0 times more spent on your healthcare

Rwanda spends $177 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Ecuador spends $1,238 as of 2023.

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have 25.7 times more doctors per person

Rwanda has 0.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Ecuador has 23.1 as of 2020.

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have 57.1% more access to essential health services

Rwanda scores 49 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Ecuador scores 77 as of 2021.

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be 12.9% less likely to die by suicide

Rwanda has a suicide rate of 8.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Ecuador, it is 7.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 5.2 times more likely to be obese

In Rwanda, 5.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Ecuador, that number is 28.9% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 70.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Rwanda, 11.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Ecuador, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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be 21.9% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Rwanda, 27.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Ecuador, however, that number is 21.4% as of 2025.

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make 6.3 times more money

Rwanda has a GDP per capita of $1,124 as of 2025, while in Ecuador, the GDP per capita is $7,125 as of 2025.

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Life

be 76.0% 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 Ecuador, 55.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 18.7% more likely to be literate

In Rwanda, the literacy rate is 78.8% as of 2022. In Ecuador, it is 93.5% as of 2024.

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be 62.9% 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 Ecuador, on the other hand, 10.9 children do as of 2024.

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have 47.2% fewer children

In Rwanda, there are approximately 28.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Ecuador, there are 14.8 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 Ecuador, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 2.4 times more likely to have internet access

In Rwanda, approximately 31.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Ecuador, about 77.2% do as of 2024.

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be 50.0% 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 Ecuador, that number is 92% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 20.0% less on education

Rwanda spends 4.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Ecuador spends 3.7% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 47.4% more on healthcare

Rwanda spends 5.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Ecuador, that number is 7.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 12.7 times more likely to be murdered

Rwanda has a homicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In Ecuador, that number is 45.7 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 2.0 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Rwanda, road accidents kill 11.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Ecuador, they kill 23.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 28.8 times more home broadband

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

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live with 66.4% less strain on fresh water

Rwanda withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Ecuador withdraws 7% as of 2022.

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use 21.9 times more electricity

Rwanda uses 77 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Ecuador uses 1,676 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 62.9% less likely to die from air pollution

In Rwanda, air pollution causes 62.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Ecuador, it causes 23.0 as of 2019.

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emit 16.5 times more CO2

Rwanda emits 0.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Ecuador emits 2.6 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

Ecuador: At a glance

Ecuador is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 276,841 sq km. What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador's 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, and voters re-elected President Rafael CORREA.
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