If you lived in Brunei instead of Solomon Islands, you would:

Health

live 4.8 years longer

In Solomon Islands, the average life expectancy is 71 years (69 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Brunei, that number is 76 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 12.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Solomon Islands spends $153 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Brunei spends $1,896 as of 2023.

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have 7.9 times more doctors per person

Solomon Islands has 2.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Brunei has 18.9 as of 2021.

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have 66.0% more access to essential health services

Solomon Islands scores 47 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Brunei scores 78 as of 2021.

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be 84.4% less likely to die by suicide

Solomon Islands has a suicide rate of 19.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Brunei, it is 3.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 69.7% more likely to be obese

In Solomon Islands, 21.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Brunei, that number is 37.0% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 15.5 times more money

Solomon Islands has a GDP per capita of $2,086 as of 2025, while in Brunei, the GDP per capita is $32,235 as of 2025.

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be 3.7 times more likely to be unemployed

In Solomon Islands, 1.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Brunei, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.

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Life

be 70.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Solomon Islands, approximately 123.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Brunei, 36.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 47.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Solomon Islands, approximately 16.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Brunei, on the other hand, 8.6 children do as of 2024.

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have 50.1% fewer children

In Solomon Islands, there are approximately 26.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Brunei, there are 13.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 23.0% more likely to have access to electricity

In Solomon Islands, approximately 81% of people have electricity access (81% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Brunei, 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 3.3 times more likely to have internet access

In Solomon Islands, approximately 29.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Brunei, about 96.3% do as of 2024.

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be 39.6% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Solomon Islands, approximately 72% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Brunei, 100% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 58.4% less on healthcare

Solomon Islands spends 5.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Brunei, that number is 2.2% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 97.0% less coastline

Solomon Islands has a total of 5,313 km of coastline. In Brunei, that number is 161 km.

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Safety

be 67.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Solomon Islands, road accidents kill 11.2 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Brunei, they kill 3.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 192.5 times more home broadband

Solomon Islands has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Brunei has 21.2 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 64.9% less likely to die from air pollution

In Solomon Islands, air pollution causes 57.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Brunei, it causes 20.0 as of 2019.

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emit 53.3 times more CO2

Solomon Islands emits 0.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Brunei emits 20.2 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

Brunei: At a glance

Brunei is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 5,265 sq km. The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia.
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How big is Brunei compared to Solomon Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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