Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 77.1% less likely to be obese

In Saudi Arabia, 35.4% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Zambia, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2016.

be 111.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Saudi Arabia, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 11.1% of people as of 2020.

live 10.4 years less

In Saudi Arabia, the average life expectancy is 77 years (75 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022. In Zambia, that number is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 92.6% less money

Saudi Arabia has a GDP per capita of $44,300 as of 2020, while in Zambia, the GDP per capita is $3,300 as of 2020.

be 2.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In Saudi Arabia, 6.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Zambia, that number is 15.0% as of 2008.

Life

have 2.5 times more children

In Saudi Arabia, there are approximately 14.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Zambia, there are 34.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 12.5 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 17.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Zambia, 213.0 women do as of 2017.

be 11.2% less likely to be literate

In Saudi Arabia, the literacy rate is 97.6% as of 2020. In Zambia, it is 86.7% as of 2018.

be 3.0 times more likely to die during infancy

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 12.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Zambia, on the other hand, 37.1 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 63.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 37% of people on average (76% in urban areas, and 6% in rural areas) as of 2019.

be 79.6% less likely to have internet access

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Zambia, about 20.0% do as of 2020.

be 28.4% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Saudi Arabia, approximately 100% of people have improved drinking water access as of 2020. In Zambia, 72% of people do as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Zambia: At a glance

Zambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 743,398 sq km. The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected president in September 2011.
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