If you lived in Madagascar instead of Swaziland, you would:

Health

be 97.9% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Swaziland, 23.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Madagascar, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2024.

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be 84.8% less likely to be obese

In Swaziland, 29.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Madagascar, that number is 4.5% of people as of 2024.

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be 77.6% less likely to die by suicide

Swaziland has a suicide rate of 27.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Madagascar, it is 6.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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see 93.2% less spent on your healthcare

Swaziland spends $922 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Madagascar spends $63 as of 2023.

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have 69.1% fewer doctors per person

Swaziland has 5.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Madagascar has 1.7 as of 2022.

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have 37.5% less access to essential health services

Swaziland scores 56 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Madagascar scores 35 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 91.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Swaziland, 34.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Madagascar, that number is 3.0% as of 2025.

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be 40.6% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Swaziland, 53.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Madagascar, however, that number is 75.2% as of 2021.

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make 85.4% less money

Swaziland has a GDP per capita of $4,108 as of 2025, while in Madagascar, the GDP per capita is $599 as of 2025.

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Life

have 34.1% more children

In Swaziland, there are approximately 23.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Madagascar, there are 31.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Swaziland, approximately 118.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Madagascar, 445.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 17.7% less likely to be literate

In Swaziland, the literacy rate is 90.8% as of 2022. In Madagascar, it is 74.7% as of 2021.

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Basic Needs

be 54.4% less likely to have access to electricity

In Swaziland, approximately 86% of people have electricity access (91% in urban areas, and 85% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Madagascar, that number is 39% of people on average (76% in urban areas, and 15% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 70.5% less likely to have internet access

In Swaziland, approximately 63.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Madagascar, about 18.7% do as of 2024.

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be 31.1% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Swaziland, approximately 80% of people have access to drinking water (98% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Madagascar, that number is 55% of people on average (78% in urban areas, and 39% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 49.4% less on education

Swaziland spends 6.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Madagascar spends 3.0% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 54.3% less on healthcare

Swaziland spends 7.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Madagascar, that number is 3.4% of GDP as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

live with 85.5% less strain on fresh water

Swaziland withdraws 78% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Madagascar withdraws 11% as of 2022.

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find 95.2% less home broadband

Swaziland has 2.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Madagascar has 0.1 as of 2023.

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use 93.3% less electricity

Swaziland uses 1,200 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Madagascar uses 80 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 12.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Swaziland, air pollution causes 66.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Madagascar, it causes 58.0 as of 2019.

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emit 83.0% less CO2

Swaziland emits 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Madagascar emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Madagascar: At a glance

Madagascar is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 581,540 sq km. Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA achieved a second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006. In early 2009, protests over increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA handing over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA defeated RAVALOMANANA's favored candidate Jean-Louis ROBINSON in a presidential runoff and was inaugurated in January 2014. Most international observers, while noting some irregularities, declared polls to be a credible reflection of the Malagasy public's will.
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