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

Health

be 59.5% less likely to die by suicide

Sri Lanka has a suicide rate of 14.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Liberia, it is 6.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 15.4 years less

In Sri Lanka, the average life expectancy is 78 years (74 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024. In Liberia, that number is 62 years (61 years for men, 64 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 58.5% more likely to be obese

In Sri Lanka, 11.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Liberia, that number is 17.8% of people as of 2024.

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see 54.0% less spent on your healthcare

Sri Lanka spends $507 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Liberia spends $233 as of 2023.

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have 84.3% fewer doctors per person

Sri Lanka has 11.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Liberia has 1.8 as of 2022.

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have 32.8% less access to essential health services

Sri Lanka scores 67 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Liberia scores 45 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 28.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Sri Lanka, 4.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Liberia, that number is 2.9% as of 2025.

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be 3.6 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Sri Lanka, 14.3% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Liberia, however, that number is 50.9% as of 2016.

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make 81.7% less money

Sri Lanka has a GDP per capita of $5,002 as of 2025, while in Liberia, the GDP per capita is $915 as of 2025.

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Life

have 3.0 times more children

In Sri Lanka, there are approximately 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Liberia, there are 30.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 34.9 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 Liberia, 628.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 12.2 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 Liberia, on the other hand, 63.2 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 67.5% 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 Liberia, that number is 32% of people on average (53% in urban areas, and 9% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 41.0% less likely to have internet access

In Sri Lanka, approximately 54.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Liberia, about 32.2% do as of 2024.

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be 12.6% 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 Liberia, that number is 79% of people on average (86% in urban areas, and 70% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 24.0% more on education

Sri Lanka spends 1.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Liberia spends 2.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 3.5 times more on healthcare

Sri Lanka spends 3.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Liberia, that number is 13.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 56.8% less coastline

Sri Lanka has a total of 1,340 km of coastline. In Liberia, that number is 579 km.

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Safety

be 33.0% more likely to die in a road accident

In Sri Lanka, road accidents kill 11.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Liberia, they kill 15.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 99.7% less strain on fresh water

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

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find 96.8% less home broadband

Sri Lanka has 8.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Liberia has 0.3 as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 85.8% less CO2

Sri Lanka emits 1.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Liberia emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 62.2% more likely to die from air pollution

In Sri Lanka, air pollution causes 37.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Liberia, it causes 60.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Liberia: At a glance

Liberia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 96,320 sq km. Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendants of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. She subsequently won reelection in 2011 in a second round vote that was boycotted by the opposition and remains challenged to build Liberia's economy and reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. The United Nations Security Council in September 2012 passed Resolution 2066 which calls for a reduction of UN troops in Liberia by half by 2015, bringing the troop total down to fewer than 4000, and challenging Liberia's security sector to fill the gaps.
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