If you lived in Fiji instead of Sao Tome and Principe, you would:

Health

see 54.3% more spent on your healthcare

Sao Tome and Principe spends $355 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Fiji spends $548 as of 2023.

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live 2.5 years less

In Sao Tome and Principe, the average life expectancy is 70 years (66 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024. In Fiji, that number is 67 years (65 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 2.2 times more likely to be obese

In Sao Tome and Principe, 17.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Fiji, that number is 39.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 9.6 times more likely to die by suicide

Sao Tome and Principe has a suicide rate of 0.9 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Fiji, it is 8.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 41.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Sao Tome and Principe, 9.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Fiji, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.

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be 56.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Sao Tome and Principe, 55.5% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Fiji, however, that number is 24.1% as of 2019.

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make 62.6% more money

Sao Tome and Principe has a GDP per capita of $4,084 as of 2025, while in Fiji, the GDP per capita is $6,642 as of 2025.

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Life

be 60.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 75.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Fiji, 30.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.6 times more likely to die during infancy

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 9.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Fiji, on the other hand, 23.5 children do as of 2024.

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have 36.4% fewer children

In Sao Tome and Principe, there are approximately 28.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Fiji, there are 17.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 22.1% more likely to have access to electricity

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 81% of people have electricity access (82% in urban areas, and 70% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Fiji, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 26.4% more likely to have internet access

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 59.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Fiji, about 74.7% do as of 2024.

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be 22.6% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 78% of people have access to drinking water (79% in urban areas, and 73% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Fiji, that number is 96% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 91% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 15.5% less on education

Sao Tome and Principe spends 5.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Fiji spends 4.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 37.3% less on healthcare

Sao Tome and Principe spends 5.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Fiji, that number is 3.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 5.4 times more coastline

Sao Tome and Principe has a total of 209 km of coastline. In Fiji, that number is 1,129 km.

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Safety

be 54.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Sao Tome and Principe, road accidents kill 11.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Fiji, they kill 5.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 84.0% less strain on fresh water

Sao Tome and Principe withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Fiji withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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find 39.8% less home broadband

Sao Tome and Principe has 3.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Fiji has 1.8 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 56.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Sao Tome and Principe, air pollution causes 85.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Fiji, it causes 37.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.6 times more CO2

Sao Tome and Principe emits 0.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Fiji emits 1.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Fiji: At a glance

Fiji is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 18,274 sq km. Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has neutralized his opponents, crippled Fiji's democratic institutions, and initially refused to hold elections. In 2012, he promised to hold elections in 2014.
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