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

Health

live 2.8 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 Venezuela, that number is 73 years (69 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 27.1% more access to essential health services

Sao Tome and Principe scores 59 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Venezuela scores 75 as of 2021.

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be 28.3% more likely to be obese

In Sao Tome and Principe, 17.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Venezuela, that number is 23.0% of people as of 2024.

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see 47.6% less spent on your healthcare

Sao Tome and Principe spends $355 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Venezuela spends $186 as of 2023.

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be 10.0 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 Venezuela, it is 8.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 41.8% less likely to be unemployed

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

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be 40.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Sao Tome and Principe, 55.5% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Venezuela, however, that number is 33.1% as of 2015.

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make 14.4% less money

Sao Tome and Principe has a GDP per capita of $4,084 as of 2025, while in Venezuela, the GDP per capita is $3,495 as of 2025.

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Life

be 3.0 times more 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 Venezuela, 227.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.3 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 Venezuela, on the other hand, 21.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 45.8% fewer children

In Sao Tome and Principe, there are approximately 28.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Venezuela, there are 15.2 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 Venezuela, 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 29.7% more likely to have internet access

In Sao Tome and Principe, approximately 59.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Venezuela, about 76.7% do as of 2024.

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be 19.7% 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 Venezuela, 93% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 34.5% less on healthcare

Sao Tome and Principe spends 5.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Venezuela, that number is 3.8% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 13.4 times more coastline

Sao Tome and Principe has a total of 209 km of coastline. In Venezuela, that number is 2,800 km.

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Safety

be 12.8% 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 Venezuela, they kill 13.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 4.3 times more home broadband

Sao Tome and Principe has 3.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Venezuela has 12.9 as of 2024.

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live with 4.0 times more strain on fresh water

Sao Tome and Principe withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Venezuela withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 62.4% 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 Venezuela, it causes 32.0 as of 2019.

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emit 5.4 times more CO2

Sao Tome and Principe emits 0.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Venezuela emits 3.4 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Venezuela: At a glance

Venezuela is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 882,050 sq km. Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president from 1999 to 2013, sought to implement his "21st Century Socialism," which purported to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking capitalist globalization and existing democratic institutions. His hand-picked successor, President Nicolas MADURO, continues CHAVEZ's socialist programs. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, rampant violent crime, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, foreign exchange controls that discourage private-sector investment, high inflation, a decline in the quality of fundamental houman rights, and widespread scarcity of consumer goods.
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