If you lived in Maldives instead of Timor-Leste, you would:

Health

live 13.4 years longer

In Timor-Leste, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In Maldives, that number is 81 years (80 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 5.0 times more spent on your healthcare

Timor-Leste spends $461 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Maldives spends $2,288 as of 2023.

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have 3.0 times more doctors per person

Timor-Leste has 7.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2020. Maldives has 22.4 as of 2019.

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have 17.3% more access to essential health services

Timor-Leste scores 52 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Maldives scores 61 as of 2021.

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be 58.7% less likely to die by suicide

Timor-Leste has a suicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Maldives, it is 1.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 4.9 times more likely to be obese

In Timor-Leste, 3.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Maldives, that number is 17.9% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 10.9 times more money

Timor-Leste has a GDP per capita of $1,341 as of 2025, while in Maldives, the GDP per capita is $14,615 as of 2025.

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be 2.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In Timor-Leste, 1.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Maldives, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 83.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Timor-Leste, approximately 192.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Maldives, 32.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 41.1% more likely to be literate

In Timor-Leste, the literacy rate is 69.4% as of 2022. In Maldives, it is 97.9% as of 2021.

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be 86.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Timor-Leste, approximately 34.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Maldives, on the other hand, 4.7 children do as of 2024.

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have 51.4% fewer children

In Timor-Leste, there are approximately 21.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Maldives, there are 10.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 2.1 times more likely to have internet access

In Timor-Leste, approximately 40.8% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Maldives, about 85.2% do as of 2024.

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be 14.2% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Timor-Leste, approximately 87% of people have access to drinking water (98% in urban areas, and 82% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Maldives, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Safety

be 89.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Timor-Leste, road accidents kill 12.0 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Maldives, they kill 1.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 1965.0 times more home broadband

Timor-Leste has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Maldives has 19.6 as of 2024.

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live with 44.6% less strain on fresh water

Timor-Leste withdraws 28% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Maldives withdraws 16% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 52.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Timor-Leste, air pollution causes 61.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Maldives, it causes 29.0 as of 2019.

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emit 7.1 times more CO2

Timor-Leste emits 0.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Maldives emits 3.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

Maldives: At a glance

Maldives is a sovereign country in South Asia, with a total land area of approximately 298 sq km. A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated the islands' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following political demonstrations in the capital Male in August 2003, the president and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was sluggish, however, and many promised reforms were slow to be realized. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution, which was ratified by the president in August. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the former regime. President NASHEED faced a number of challenges including strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse. In early February 2012, after several weeks of street protests following his sacking of a top judge, NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. In mid-2012, a Commission of National Inquiry was set by the government to probe events leading up to NASHEED's resignation. Though the commission found no evidence of a coup, the report recommended the need to strengthen the country's democratic institutions to avert similar events in the future, and to further investigate alleged police misconduct during the crisis. Maldivian officials have played a prominent role in international climate change discussions (due to the islands' low elevation and the threat from sea-level rise) on the UN Human Rights Council and in other international forums, as well as in encouraging regional cooperation, especially between India and Pakistan.
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