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

Health

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

In Rwanda, 2.0% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 1.6% of people as of 2024.

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live 2.3 years longer

In Rwanda, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 70 years (67 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 7.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Rwanda spends $177 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Guyana spends $1,331 as of 2023.

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have 15.4 times more doctors per person

Rwanda has 0.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Guyana has 13.9 as of 2020.

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have 55.1% more access to essential health services

Rwanda scores 49 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Guyana scores 76 as of 2021.

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be 5.4 times more likely to be obese

In Rwanda, 5.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Guyana, that number is 30.1% of people as of 2024.

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be 2.9 times more likely to die by suicide

Rwanda has a suicide rate of 8.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Guyana, it is 24.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 28.8 times more money

Rwanda has a GDP per capita of $1,124 as of 2025, while in Guyana, the GDP per capita is $32,414 as of 2025.

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Life

be 67.2% 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 Guyana, 75.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 12.7% more likely to be literate

In Rwanda, the literacy rate is 78.8% as of 2022. In Guyana, it is 88.8% as of 2021.

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be 21.1% 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 Guyana, on the other hand, 23.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 29.2% fewer children

In Rwanda, there are approximately 28.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Guyana, there are 19.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 54.8% 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 Guyana, that number is 99% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 2.6 times more likely to have internet access

In Rwanda, approximately 31.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Guyana, about 83.0% do as of 2024.

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be 55.8% 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 Guyana, that number is 96% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 51.9% less on healthcare

Rwanda spends 5.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Guyana, that number is 2.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 5.3 times more likely to be murdered

Rwanda has a homicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In Guyana, that number is 19.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 31.0% more likely to die in a road accident

In Rwanda, road accidents kill 11.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Guyana, they kill 15.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 21.6 times more home broadband

Rwanda has 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Guyana has 12.9 as of 2022.

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live with 83.7% less strain on fresh water

Rwanda withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Guyana withdraws 3% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 16.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Rwanda, air pollution causes 62.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Guyana, it causes 52.0 as of 2019.

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emit 28.5 times more CO2

Rwanda emits 0.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Guyana emits 4.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Guyana: At a glance

Guyana is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 196,849 sq km. Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR was elected president in 2011.
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