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

Health

live 8.0 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 Lebanon, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 81.4% more spent on your healthcare

Sao Tome and Principe spends $355 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Lebanon spends $644 as of 2023.

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have 5.8 times more doctors per person

Sao Tome and Principe has 4.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Lebanon has 26.8 as of 2020.

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have 23.7% more access to essential health services

Sao Tome and Principe scores 59 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Lebanon scores 73 as of 2021.

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be 18.6% less likely to die by suicide

Sao Tome and Principe has a suicide rate of 0.9 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Lebanon, it is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 71.5% more likely to be obese

In Sao Tome and Principe, 17.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Lebanon, that number is 30.7% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 20.3% more likely to be unemployed

In Sao Tome and Principe, 9.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Lebanon, that number is 11.0% as of 2023.

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Life

be 80.0% 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 Lebanon, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 66.3% 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 Lebanon, on the other hand, 15.3 children do as of 2024.

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have 43.2% fewer children

In Sao Tome and Principe, there are approximately 28.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Lebanon, there are 16.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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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 Lebanon, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 36.4% more likely to have internet access

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 59.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Lebanon, about 80.6% do as of 2024.

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be 18.8% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 78% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Lebanon, 93% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 75.7% less on education

Sao Tome and Principe spends 5.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Lebanon spends 1.2% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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Safety

be 17.1% 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 Lebanon, they kill 9.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 2.4 times more home broadband

Sao Tome and Principe has 3.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Lebanon has 7.3 as of 2022.

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live with 31.3 times more strain on fresh water

Sao Tome and Principe withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Lebanon withdraws 59% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 30.6% 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 Lebanon, it causes 59.0 as of 2019.

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emit 3.0 times more CO2

Sao Tome and Principe emits 0.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Lebanon emits 1.9 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

Lebanon: At a glance

Lebanon is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 10,230 sq km. Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French demarcated the region of Lebanon in 1920 and granted this area independence in 1943. Since independence the country has been marked by periods of political turmoil interspersed with prosperity built on its position as a regional center for finance and trade. The country's 1975-90 civil war that resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities, was followed by years of social and political instability. Sectarianism is a key element of Lebanese political life. Neighboring Syria has long influenced Lebanon's foreign policy and internal policies, and its military occupied Lebanon from 1976 until 2005. The Lebanon-based Hizballah militia and Israel continued attacks and counterattacks against each other after Syria's withdrawal, and fought a brief war in 2006. Lebanon's borders with Syria and Israel remain unresolved.
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