If you lived in Mauritius instead of Sierra Leone, you would:

Health

live 11.8 years longer

In Sierra Leone, the average life expectancy is 62 years (60 years for men, 64 years for women) as of 2024. In Mauritius, that number is 74 years (70 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 9.9 times more spent on your healthcare

Sierra Leone spends $159 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Mauritius spends $1,566 as of 2023.

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have 10.7 times more doctors per person

Sierra Leone has 1.3 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Mauritius has 14.4 as of 2022.

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have 61.0% more access to essential health services

Sierra Leone scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Mauritius scores 66 as of 2021.

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be 2.6 times more likely to be obese

In Sierra Leone, 8.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Mauritius, that number is 21.1% of people as of 2024.

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be 71.3% more likely to die by suicide

Sierra Leone has a suicide rate of 6.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Mauritius, it is 10.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 15.4 times more money

Sierra Leone has a GDP per capita of $846 as of 2025, while in Mauritius, the GDP per capita is $12,991 as of 2025.

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be 78.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Sierra Leone, 3.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Mauritius, that number is 5.6% as of 2025.

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Life

be 81.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Sierra Leone, approximately 354.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Mauritius, 66.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 94.0% more likely to be literate

In Sierra Leone, the literacy rate is 48.6% as of 2022. In Mauritius, it is 94.3% as of 2023.

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be 74.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Sierra Leone, approximately 54.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Mauritius, on the other hand, 13.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 65.8% fewer children

In Sierra Leone, there are approximately 30.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Mauritius, there are 10.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 2.8 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Sierra Leone, approximately 36% of people have electricity access (56% in urban areas, and 19% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Mauritius, 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 2.9 times more likely to have internet access

In Sierra Leone, approximately 25.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Mauritius, about 73.3% do as of 2024.

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be 46.8% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Sierra Leone, approximately 68% of people have access to drinking water (82% in urban areas, and 57% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Mauritius, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 62.2% more on education

Sierra Leone spends 2.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Mauritius spends 4.2% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 18.0% more on healthcare

Sierra Leone spends 4.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Mauritius, that number is 5.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 56.0% less coastline

Sierra Leone has a total of 402 km of coastline. In Mauritius, that number is 177 km.

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Safety

be 29.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Sierra Leone, road accidents kill 13.8 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Mauritius, they kill 9.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 45.9 times more strain on fresh water

Sierra Leone withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Mauritius withdraws 23% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 71.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Sierra Leone, air pollution causes 97.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Mauritius, it causes 28.0 as of 2019.

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emit 20.8 times more CO2

Sierra Leone emits 0.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Mauritius emits 3.5 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2022), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Mauritius: At a glance

Mauritius is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 2,030 sq km. Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.
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How big is Mauritius compared to Sierra Leone? See an in-depth size comparison.

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