If you lived in Central African Republic instead of Sri Lanka, you would:

Health

be 37.7% less likely to die by suicide

Sri Lanka has a suicide rate of 14.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Central African Republic, it is 9.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 24.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Sri Lanka, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 2.4% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

live 20.0 years less

In Sri Lanka, the average life expectancy is 78 years (74 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 58 years (56 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

see 73.0% less spent on your healthcare

Sri Lanka spends $507 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Central African Republic spends $137 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 93.5% fewer doctors per person

Sri Lanka has 11.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Central African Republic has 0.7 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 52.2% less access to essential health services

Sri Lanka scores 67 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Central African Republic scores 32 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 56.2% more likely to be unemployed

In Sri Lanka, 4.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Central African Republic, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 4.8 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Sri Lanka, 14.3% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Central African Republic, however, that number is 68.8% as of 2021.

View global rankings →

make 88.9% less money

Sri Lanka has a GDP per capita of $5,002 as of 2025, while in Central African Republic, the GDP per capita is $556 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

have 4.6 times more children

In Sri Lanka, there are approximately 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Central African Republic, there are 46.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 38.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Sri Lanka, approximately 18.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Central African Republic, 692.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 11.3 times more likely to die during infancy

In Sri Lanka, approximately 5.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Central African Republic, on the other hand, 58.8 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 82.4% less likely to have access to electricity

In Sri Lanka, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 18% of people on average (37% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 74.8% less likely to have internet access

In Sri Lanka, approximately 54.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Central African Republic, about 13.8% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 59.5% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Sri Lanka, approximately 90% of people have access to drinking water (98% in urban areas, and 88% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 36% of people on average (48% in urban areas, and 27% in rural areas) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 2.9 times more on healthcare

Sri Lanka spends 3.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 10.7% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 6.1 times more likely to be murdered

Sri Lanka has a homicide rate of 3.3 per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Central African Republic, that number is 20.1 per 100,000 as of 2016.

View global rankings →

be 2.3 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Sri Lanka, road accidents kill 11.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Central African Republic, they kill 25.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

live with 99.6% less strain on fresh water

Sri Lanka withdraws 91% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Central African Republic withdraws 0% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

find 99.8% less home broadband

Sri Lanka has 8.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Central African Republic has 0.0 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

emit 94.3% less CO2

Sri Lanka emits 1.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Central African Republic emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 2.6 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Sri Lanka, air pollution causes 37.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Central African Republic, it causes 98.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021). How we calculate this

Central African Republic: At a glance

Central African Republic is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 622,984 sq km. The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March, 2003 President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as flawed. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. The militant group the Lord's Resistance Army continues to destabilize southeastern Central African Republic, and several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - who are unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership. In March 2013, the coalition government dissolved, rebels seized the capital, and President BOZIZE fled the country. Rebel leader Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency, reappointed Nicolas TIANGAYE as Prime Minister, and established a transitional government on 31 March. On 13 April 2013, the National Transitional Council affirmed DJOTODIA as President.
Read more

How big is Central African Republic compared to Sri Lanka? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Central African Republic or Sri Lanka. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.