If you lived in Colombia instead of Sri Lanka, you would:

Health

see 3.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Sri Lanka spends $507 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Colombia spends $1,758 as of 2024.

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have 2.2 times more doctors per person

Sri Lanka has 11.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Colombia has 25.4 as of 2023.

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have 19.4% more access to essential health services

Sri Lanka scores 67 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Colombia scores 80 as of 2021.

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be 66.4% less likely to die by suicide

Sri Lanka has a suicide rate of 14.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Colombia, it is 5.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.2 times more likely to be obese

In Sri Lanka, 11.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 24.9% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 71.2% more money

Sri Lanka has a GDP per capita of $5,002 as of 2025, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $8,562 as of 2025.

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be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Sri Lanka, 4.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Colombia, that number is 8.3% as of 2025.

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Life

have 31.2% more children

In Sri Lanka, there are approximately 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Colombia, there are 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.3 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 Colombia, 59.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.0 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 Colombia, on the other hand, 10.5 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 45.4% more likely to have internet access

In Sri Lanka, approximately 54.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Colombia, about 79.3% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 2.9 times more on education

Sri Lanka spends 1.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Colombia spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

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spend 2.2 times more on healthcare

Sri Lanka spends 3.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Colombia, that number is 8.1% of GDP as of 2024.

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Geography

see 2.4 times more coastline

Sri Lanka has a total of 1,340 km of coastline. In Colombia, that number is 3,208 km.

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Safety

be 40.9% more likely to die in a road accident

In Sri Lanka, road accidents kill 11.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Colombia, they kill 16.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 2.0 times more home broadband

Sri Lanka has 8.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Colombia has 17.2 as of 2024.

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live with 96.0% less strain on fresh water

Sri Lanka withdraws 91% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Colombia withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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use 2.4 times more electricity

Sri Lanka uses 644 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Colombia uses 1,551 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 35.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Sri Lanka, air pollution causes 37.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Colombia, it causes 24.0 as of 2019.

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emit 69.8% more CO2

Sri Lanka emits 1.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Colombia emits 1.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Colombia: At a glance

Colombia is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,038,700 sq km. Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. In November 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
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