Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Cambodia instead of South Africa, you would:

Health

be 97.4% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Cambodia, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2020.

live 5.3 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Cambodia, that number is 71 years (69 years for men, 73 years for women) as of 2022.

be 86.2% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Cambodia, that number is 3.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 98.9% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2019. In Cambodia, that number is 0.3% as of 2017.

pay a 55.6% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Cambodia, the top tax rate is 20.0% as of 2016.

make 63.5% less money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $11,500 as of 2020, while in Cambodia, the GDP per capita is $4,200 as of 2020.

Life

be 34.5% more likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 119.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Cambodia, 160.0 women do as of 2017.

be 15.3% less likely to be literate

In South Africa, the literacy rate is 95.0% as of 2019. In Cambodia, it is 80.5% as of 2015.

be 14.3% more likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Cambodia, on the other hand, 29.6 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 20.2% less likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 94% of people have electricity access (95% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2019. In Cambodia, that number is 75% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 67% in rural areas) as of 2019.

be 52.9% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 70.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Cambodia, about 33.0% do as of 2019.

be 12.0% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In South Africa, approximately 97% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 90% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Cambodia, that number is 85% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 67.6% less on education

South Africa spends 6.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Cambodia spends 2.2% of total GDP on education as of 2018.

spend 23.1% less on healthcare

South Africa spends 9.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2019. In Cambodia, that number is 7.0% of GDP as of 2019.

Geography

see 84.2% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Cambodia, that number is 443 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, South African Revenue Service, General Department of Taxation.

Cambodia: At a glance

Cambodia is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 176,515 sq km. Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders have been tried or are awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, with little of the pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful, as were commune council elections in June 2012.
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How big is Cambodia compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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