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

Health

be 97.7% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 17.2% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Georgia, that number is 0.4% of people as of 2024.

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live 8.3 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 66 years (63 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In Georgia, that number is 75 years (70 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 24.0% more spent on your healthcare

South Africa spends $1,354 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Georgia spends $1,679 as of 2023.

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have 7.1 times more doctors per person

South Africa has 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Georgia has 56.4 as of 2023.

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be 77.1% less likely to die by suicide

South Africa has a suicide rate of 22.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Georgia, it is 5.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 12.4% more likely to be obese

In South Africa, 31.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Georgia, that number is 35.7% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 62.6% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 32.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Georgia, that number is 12.1% as of 2025.

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be 75.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 37.9% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Georgia, however, that number is 9.4% as of 2024.

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make 46.9% more money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $6,598 as of 2025, while in Georgia, the GDP per capita is $9,692 as of 2025.

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Life

be 83.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 118.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Georgia, 20.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 69.0% less likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 24.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Georgia, on the other hand, 7.5 children do as of 2024.

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have 38.9% fewer children

In South Africa, there are approximately 18.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Georgia, there are 11.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 14.0% more likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 88% of people have electricity access (91% in urban areas, and 94% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Georgia, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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Expenditures

spend 33.9% less on education

South Africa spends 6.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Georgia spends 4.0% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 23.0% less on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Georgia, that number is 6.9% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 88.9% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Georgia, that number is 310 km.

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Safety

be 95.4% less likely to be murdered

South Africa has a homicide rate of 43.7 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Georgia, that number is 2.0 per 100,000 as of 2019.

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be 48.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In South Africa, road accidents kill 24.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Georgia, they kill 12.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 5.7 times more home broadband

South Africa has 5.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Georgia has 30.4 as of 2024.

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live with 93.8% less strain on fresh water

South Africa withdraws 68% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Georgia withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 48.7% less CO2

South Africa emits 6.9 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Georgia emits 3.5 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 46.8% more likely to die from air pollution

In South Africa, air pollution causes 47.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Georgia, it causes 69.0 as of 2019.

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

Georgia: At a glance

Georgia is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 69,700 sq km. The region of present day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D., and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1921 and regained its independence when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Mounting public discontent over rampant corruption and ineffective government services, followed by an attempt by the incumbent Georgian Government to manipulate national legislative elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. In the aftermath of that popular movement, which became known as the "Rose Revolution," new elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his United National Movement (UNM) party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has been made in the years since independence, but this progress has been complicated by Russian assistance and support to the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Periodic flare-ups in tension and violence culminated in a five-day conflict in August 2008 between Russia and Georgia, including the invasion of large portions of undisputed Georgian territory. Russian troops pledged to pull back from most occupied Georgian territory, but in late August 2008 Russia unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Russian military forces remain in those regions. Billionaire philanthropist Bidzina IVANISHVILI's unexpected entry into politics in October 2011 brought the divided opposition together under his Georgian Dream coalition, which won a majority of seats in the October 2012 parliamentary election and removed UNM from power. Conceding defeat, SAAKASHVILI named IVANISHVILI as prime minister and allowed Georgian Dream to create a new government. Georgian Dream's Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI was inaugurated as president on 17 November 2013, ending a tense year of power-sharing between SAAKASHVILI and IVANISHVILI. IVANISHVILI voluntarily resigned from office after the presidential succession, and Georgia's legislature on 20 November 2013 confirmed Irakli GARIBASHVILI as his replacement. Georgia's recent elections represent unique examples of a former Soviet state that emerged to conduct democratic and peaceful government transitions of power. Popular and government support for integration with the West is high in Georgia. Joining the EU and NATO are among the country's top foreign policy goals.
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