If you lived in Gabon instead of Saudi Arabia, you would:

Health

be 43.5% less likely to be obese

In Saudi Arabia, 40.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Gabon, that number is 22.7% of people as of 2024.

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be 28.0 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 Gabon, that number is 2.8% of people as of 2024.

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live 10.5 years less

In Saudi Arabia, the average life expectancy is 79 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024. In Gabon, that number is 69 years (66 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 80.6% less spent on your healthcare

Saudi Arabia spends $3,475 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Gabon spends $673 as of 2023.

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have 84.7% fewer doctors per person

Saudi Arabia has 34.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Gabon has 5.2 as of 2022.

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have 33.8% less access to essential health services

Saudi Arabia scores 74 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Gabon scores 49 as of 2021.

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be 7.7 times more likely to die by suicide

Saudi Arabia has a suicide rate of 0.9 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Gabon, it is 7.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 6.6 times more likely to be unemployed

In Saudi Arabia, 3.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Gabon, that number is 20.1% as of 2025.

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make 76.1% less money

Saudi Arabia has a GDP per capita of $34,537 as of 2025, while in Gabon, the GDP per capita is $8,263 as of 2025.

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Life

have 64.4% more children

In Saudi Arabia, there are approximately 16.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Gabon, there are 27.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 33.3 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 Gabon, 233.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 5.5 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 Gabon, on the other hand, 25.9 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 31.3% less likely to have internet access

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 100.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Gabon, about 68.7% do as of 2024.

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be 10.5% 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 Gabon, that number is 89% of people on average (92% in urban areas, and 49% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 48.2% less on education

Saudi Arabia spends 4.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Gabon spends 2.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 45.0% less on healthcare

Saudi Arabia spends 5.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Gabon, that number is 3.1% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 66.5% less coastline

Saudi Arabia has a total of 2,640 km of coastline. In Gabon, that number is 885 km.

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Safety

be 32.4% less likely to die in a road accident

In Saudi Arabia, road accidents kill 18.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Gabon, they kill 12.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 99.9% less strain on fresh water

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

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find 89.4% less home broadband

Saudi Arabia has 44.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Gabon has 4.7 as of 2024.

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use 91.4% less electricity

Saudi Arabia uses 11,911 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Gabon uses 1,023 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 41.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Saudi Arabia, air pollution causes 91.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Gabon, it causes 53.0 as of 2019.

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emit 88.9% less CO2

Saudi Arabia emits 18.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Gabon emits 2.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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

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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