Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iraq instead of Sao Tome and Principe, you would:
Health
live 2.5 years longer
In Sao Tome and Principe, the average life expectancy is 70 years (66 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024. In Iraq, that number is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.
see 2.4 times more spent on your healthcare
Sao Tome and Principe spends $355 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Iraq spends $843 as of 2023.
have 2.2 times more doctors per person
Sao Tome and Principe has 4.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Iraq has 10.2 as of 2022.
be 2.2 times more likely to be obese
In Sao Tome and Principe, 17.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Iraq, that number is 39.7% of people as of 2024.
be 3.5 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 Iraq, it is 3.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.
Economy
make 32.4% more money
Sao Tome and Principe has a GDP per capita of $4,084 as of 2025, while in Iraq, the GDP per capita is $5,410 as of 2025.
be 69.6% more likely to be unemployed
In Sao Tome and Principe, 9.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Iraq, that number is 15.5% as of 2025.
Life
be 11.3% less likely to be literate
In Sao Tome and Principe, the literacy rate is 94.8% as of 2021. In Iraq, it is 84.1% as of 2021.
be 2.2 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 Iraq, on the other hand, 20.1 children do as of 2024.
Basic Needs
be 23.0% 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 Iraq, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.
be 37.8% more likely to have internet access
In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 59.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Iraq, about 81.5% do as of 2024.
be 26.2% 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 Iraq, that number is 98% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2024.
Geography
see 72.2% less coastline
Sao Tome and Principe has a total of 209 km of coastline. In Iraq, that number is 58 km.
Safety
be 2.9 times more likely to be murdered
Sao Tome and Principe has a homicide rate of 3.2 per 100,000 people as of 2011. In Iraq, that number is 9.4 per 100,000 as of 2013.
be 83.8% more 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 Iraq, they kill 21.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.
Infrastructure
find 5.9 times more home broadband
Sao Tome and Principe has 3.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Iraq has 17.6 as of 2024.
live with 31.7 times more strain on fresh water
Sao Tome and Principe withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Iraq withdraws 60% as of 2022.
Environment
emit 8.2 times more CO2
Sao Tome and Principe emits 0.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Iraq emits 5.2 tonnes as of 2024.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), The World Factbook (2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this
Compare further: Sao Tome and Principe vs. Iraq
MORE COMPARISONS
Iraq: At a glance
How big is Iraq compared to Sao Tome and Principe? See an in-depth size comparison.