Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 2.6 years longer

In Sao Tome and Principe, the average life expectancy is 67 years (65 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2022. In Gabon, that number is 70 years (68 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022.

be 10.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Sao Tome and Principe, 0.3% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Gabon, that number is 3.0% of people as of 2020.

be 21.0% more likely to be obese

In Sao Tome and Principe, 12.4% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Gabon, that number is 15.0% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 3.5 times more money

Sao Tome and Principe has a GDP per capita of $4,100 as of 2020, while in Gabon, the GDP per capita is $14,400 as of 2020.

be 49.9% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Sao Tome and Principe, 66.7% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Gabon, however, that number is 33.4% as of 2017.

be 2.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Sao Tome and Principe, 12.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Gabon, that number is 28.0% as of 2015.

Life

be 35.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 44.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Gabon, on the other hand, 28.6 children do as of 2022.

be 93.8% more likely to die during childbirth

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 130.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Gabon, 252.0 women do as of 2017.

Basic Needs

be 29.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 71% of people have electricity access (87% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2019. In Gabon, that number is 92% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 39% in rural areas) as of 2019.

be 87.9% more likely to have internet access

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 33.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Gabon, about 62.0% do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 52.5% less on education

Sao Tome and Principe spends 5.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Gabon spends 2.8% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

spend 49.1% less on healthcare

Sao Tome and Principe spends 5.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2019. In Gabon, that number is 2.8% of GDP as of 2019.

Geography

see 4.2 times more coastline

Sao Tome and Principe has a total of 209 km of coastline. In Gabon, that number is 885 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Gabon: At a glance

Gabon is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 257,667 sq km. El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009) following independence from France in 1960. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in December 2002 and the presidential elections in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, new elections brought Ali BONGO Ondimba, son of the former president, to power. Despite constrained political conditions, Gabon's small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make it one of the more stable African countries.
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How big is Gabon compared to Sao Tome and Principe? See an in-depth size comparison.

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