If you lived in Central African Republic instead of Saudi Arabia, you would:

Health

be 72.7% less likely to be obese

In Saudi Arabia, 40.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 10.9% of people as of 2024.

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be 24.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Saudi Arabia, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 2.4% of people as of 2024.

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live 21.3 years less

In Saudi Arabia, the average life expectancy is 79 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 58 years (56 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 96.1% less spent on your healthcare

Saudi Arabia spends $3,475 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Central African Republic spends $137 as of 2023.

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have 97.8% fewer doctors per person

Saudi Arabia has 34.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Central African Republic has 0.7 as of 2023.

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have 56.8% less access to essential health services

Saudi Arabia scores 74 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Central African Republic scores 32 as of 2021.

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be 9.7 times more likely to die by suicide

Saudi Arabia has a suicide rate of 0.9 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Central African Republic, it is 9.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Saudi Arabia, 3.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Central African Republic, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

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make 98.4% less money

Saudi Arabia has a GDP per capita of $34,537 as of 2025, while in Central African Republic, the GDP per capita is $556 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.8 times more children

In Saudi Arabia, there are approximately 16.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Central African Republic, there are 46.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 98.9 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 7.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Central African Republic, 692.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 12.5 times more likely to die during infancy

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 4.7 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Central African Republic, on the other hand, 58.8 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 82.4% less likely to have access to electricity

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 18% of people on average (37% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 86.2% less likely to have internet access

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 100.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Central African Republic, about 13.8% do as of 2024.

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be 63.1% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 99% of people have access to drinking water (99% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 36% of people on average (48% in urban areas, and 27% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 59.2% less on education

Saudi Arabia spends 4.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Central African Republic spends 1.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 87.3% more on healthcare

Saudi Arabia spends 5.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 10.7% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 21.4 times more likely to be murdered

Saudi Arabia has a homicide rate of 0.9 per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Central African Republic, that number is 20.1 per 100,000 as of 2016.

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be 40.0% more likely to die in a road accident

In Saudi Arabia, road accidents kill 18.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Central African Republic, they kill 25.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 100.0% less strain on fresh water

Saudi Arabia withdraws 974% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Central African Republic withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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find 100.0% less home broadband

Saudi Arabia has 44.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Central African Republic has 0.0 as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 99.7% less CO2

Saudi Arabia emits 18.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Central African Republic emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Central African Republic: At a glance

Central African Republic is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 622,984 sq km. The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March, 2003 President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as flawed. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. The militant group the Lord's Resistance Army continues to destabilize southeastern Central African Republic, and several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - who are unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership. In March 2013, the coalition government dissolved, rebels seized the capital, and President BOZIZE fled the country. Rebel leader Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency, reappointed Nicolas TIANGAYE as Prime Minister, and established a transitional government on 31 March. On 13 April 2013, the National Transitional Council affirmed DJOTODIA as President.
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