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

Health

be 15.6% less likely to be obese

In Sri Lanka, 11.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Uganda, that number is 9.5% of people as of 2024.

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be 62.7% less likely to die by suicide

Sri Lanka has a suicide rate of 14.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Uganda, it is 5.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 49.0 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 Uganda, that number is 4.9% of people as of 2024.

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live 9.2 years less

In Sri Lanka, the average life expectancy is 78 years (74 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024. In Uganda, that number is 68 years (65 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 72.6% less spent on your healthcare

Sri Lanka spends $507 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Uganda spends $139 as of 2023.

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have 83.2% fewer doctors per person

Sri Lanka has 11.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Uganda has 1.9 as of 2022.

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have 26.9% less access to essential health services

Sri Lanka scores 67 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Uganda scores 49 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 31.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Sri Lanka, 4.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Uganda, that number is 2.8% as of 2025.

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make 75.9% less money

Sri Lanka has a GDP per capita of $5,002 as of 2025, while in Uganda, the GDP per capita is $1,206 as of 2025.

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Life

have 3.4 times more children

In Sri Lanka, there are approximately 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Uganda, there are 34.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 9.4 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 Uganda, 170.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 16.9% less likely to be literate

In Sri Lanka, the literacy rate is 92.7% as of 2024. In Uganda, it is 77.0% as of 2024.

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be 6.9 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 Uganda, on the other hand, 35.9 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 48.5% 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 Uganda, that number is 52% of people on average (76% in urban areas, and 42% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 83.6% less likely to have internet access

In Sri Lanka, approximately 54.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Uganda, about 8.9% do as of 2024.

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be 30.2% 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 Uganda, that number is 63% of people on average (80% in urban areas, and 57% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 39.9% more on education

Sri Lanka spends 1.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Uganda spends 2.6% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 15.2% more on healthcare

Sri Lanka spends 3.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Uganda, that number is 4.2% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 39.1% more likely to die in a road accident

In Sri Lanka, road accidents kill 11.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Uganda, they kill 16.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 93.6% less strain on fresh water

Sri Lanka withdraws 91% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Uganda withdraws 6% as of 2022.

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find 97.5% less home broadband

Sri Lanka has 8.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Uganda has 0.2 as of 2024.

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use 85.2% less electricity

Sri Lanka uses 644 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Uganda uses 95 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 84.0% less CO2

Sri Lanka emits 1.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Uganda emits 0.2 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 Uganda, it causes 60.0 as of 2019.

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

Uganda: At a glance

Uganda is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 197,100 sq km. The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the establishment of a working political community after independence was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986 has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. A constitutional referendum in 2005 cancelled a 19-year ban on multi-party politics.
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How big is Uganda compared to Sri Lanka? See an in-depth size comparison.

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