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

Health

be 8.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Senegal, 0.3% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 2.4% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

live 11.2 years less

In Senegal, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 71 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.

View global rankings →

see 33.5% less spent on your healthcare

Senegal spends $206 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Central African Republic spends $137 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 32.1% fewer doctors per person

Senegal has 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Central African Republic has 0.7 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 36.0% less access to essential health services

Senegal scores 50 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Central African Republic scores 32 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 35.9% more likely to die by suicide

Senegal has a suicide rate of 6.8 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Central African Republic, it is 9.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 2.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Senegal, 2.7% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Central African Republic, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 83.5% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Senegal, 37.5% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Central African Republic, however, that number is 68.8% as of 2021.

View global rankings →

make 71.5% less money

Senegal has a GDP per capita of $1,955 as of 2025, while in Central African Republic, the GDP per capita is $556 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

have 58.3% more children

In Senegal, there are approximately 29.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Central African Republic, there are 46.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 2.9 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Senegal, approximately 237.0 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.

View global rankings →

be 25.5% less likely to be literate

In Senegal, the literacy rate is 50.4% as of 2023. In Central African Republic, it is 37.5% as of 2020.

View global rankings →

be 2.0 times more likely to die during infancy

In Senegal, approximately 28.9 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.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 76.3% less likely to have access to electricity

In Senegal, approximately 74% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 56% 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.

View global rankings →

be 77.1% less likely to have internet access

In Senegal, approximately 60.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Central African Republic, about 13.8% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 58.5% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Senegal, approximately 88% of people have access to drinking water (95% in urban areas, and 81% 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.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 70.3% less on education

Senegal spends 6.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Central African Republic spends 1.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

View global rankings →

spend 2.5 times more on healthcare

Senegal spends 4.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 10.7% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 74.5 times more likely to be murdered

Senegal has a homicide rate of 0.3 per 100,000 people as of 2015. In Central African Republic, that number is 20.1 per 100,000 as of 2016.

View global rankings →

be 24.5% more likely to die in a road accident

In Senegal, road accidents kill 20.8 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Central African Republic, they kill 25.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

live with 97.9% less strain on fresh water

Senegal withdraws 16% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Central African Republic withdraws 0% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

find 99.5% less home broadband

Senegal has 4.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Central African Republic has 0.0 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

emit 92.2% less CO2

Senegal emits 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Central African Republic emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 50.8% more likely to die from air pollution

In Senegal, air pollution causes 65.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Central African Republic, it causes 98.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2020). 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.
Read more

How big is Central African Republic compared to Senegal? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Central African Republic or Senegal. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.