If you lived in Haiti instead of South Korea, you would:

Health

be 71.6% less likely to die by suicide

South Korea has a suicide rate of 27.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Haiti, it is 7.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 18.5 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 84 years (81 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024. In Haiti, that number is 65 years (62 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 33.1% more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 8.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Haiti, that number is 11.1% of people as of 2024.

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see 97.9% less spent on your healthcare

South Korea spends $5,081 per person on healthcare as of 2024 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Haiti spends $105 as of 2023.

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have 88.8% fewer doctors per person

South Korea has 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Haiti has 2.9 as of 2022.

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have 39.3% less access to essential health services

South Korea scores 89 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Haiti scores 54 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 5.6 times more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.7% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Haiti, that number is 14.9% as of 2025.

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make 92.6% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $36,227 as of 2025, while in Haiti, the GDP per capita is $2,694 as of 2025.

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Life

have 4.7 times more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 4.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Haiti, there are 21.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 82.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Korea, approximately 4.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Haiti, 328.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 30.6% less likely to be literate

In South Korea, the literacy rate is 98.0% as of 2019. In Haiti, it is 68.0% as of 2017.

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be 17.0 times more likely to die during infancy

In South Korea, approximately 2.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Haiti, on the other hand, 39.0 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 48.7% less likely to have access to electricity

In South Korea, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Haiti, that number is 51% of people on average (84% in urban areas, and 3% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 51.1% less likely to have internet access

In South Korea, approximately 97.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Haiti, about 47.9% do as of 2024.

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be 26.7% less likely to have access to drinking water

In South Korea, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Haiti, 73% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 82.3% less on education

South Korea spends 5.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Haiti spends 1.0% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 63.2% less on healthcare

South Korea spends 8.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2024. In Haiti, that number is 3.2% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 26.6% less coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Haiti, that number is 1,771 km.

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Safety

be 85.7 times more likely to be murdered

South Korea has a homicide rate of 0.5 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Haiti, that number is 41.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 4.5 times more likely to die in a road accident

In South Korea, road accidents kill 6.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Haiti, they kill 31.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 84.3% less strain on fresh water

South Korea withdraws 85% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Haiti withdraws 13% as of 2022.

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find 99.4% less home broadband

South Korea has 47.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Haiti has 0.3 as of 2022.

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use 99.3% less electricity

South Korea uses 11,350 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Haiti uses 76 kWh as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 97.4% less CO2

South Korea emits 11.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Haiti emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 2.6 times more likely to die from air pollution

In South Korea, air pollution causes 19.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Haiti, it causes 50.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2019), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Haiti: At a glance

Haiti is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 27,560 sq km. The native Taino - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first post-colonial black-led nation in the world, declaring its independence in 1804. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has experienced political instability for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to the forced resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections under the auspices of the United Nations. Continued instability and technical delays prompted repeated postponements, but Haiti inaugurated a democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006. This was followed by contested elections in 2010 that resulted in the election of Haiti's current President, Michel MARTELLY. A massive magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010 with an epicenter about 25 km (15 mi) west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Estimates are that over 300,000 people were killed and some 1.5 million left homeless. The earthquake was assessed as the worst in this region over the last 200 years.
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