If you lived in Bangladesh instead of United States, you would:

Health

be 86.0% less likely to be obese

In United States, 41.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Bangladesh, that number is 5.8% of people as of 2024.

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be 82.0% less likely to die by suicide

United States has a suicide rate of 15.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Bangladesh, it is 2.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 4.0 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 79 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024. In Bangladesh, that number is 75 years (73 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 98.5% less spent on your healthcare

United States spends $13,473 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Bangladesh spends $199 as of 2023.

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have 80.4% fewer doctors per person

United States has 36.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Bangladesh has 7.2 as of 2023.

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have 39.5% less access to essential health services

United States scores 86 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Bangladesh scores 52 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 10.0% less likely to be unemployed

In United States, 4.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Bangladesh, that number is 3.8% as of 2025.

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make 97.1% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $90,027 as of 2025, while in Bangladesh, the GDP per capita is $2,597 as of 2025.

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Life

have 88.6% more children

In United States, there are approximately 10.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Bangladesh, there are 20.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 6.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 17.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Bangladesh, 115.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 4.4 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Bangladesh, on the other hand, 24.4 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 43.6% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 94.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Bangladesh, about 53.4% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 62.5% less on education

United States spends 5.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Bangladesh spends 2.0% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 87.0% less on healthcare

United States spends 16.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Bangladesh, that number is 2.2% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 97.1% less coastline

United States has a total of 19,924 km of coastline. In Bangladesh, that number is 580 km.

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Safety

be 31.0% more likely to die in a road accident

In United States, road accidents kill 14.2 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Bangladesh, they kill 18.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 79.7% less strain on fresh water

United States withdraws 28% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Bangladesh withdraws 6% as of 2022.

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find 79.2% less home broadband

United States has 38.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Bangladesh has 8.1 as of 2024.

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use 95.3% less electricity

United States uses 12,839 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Bangladesh uses 603 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 94.7% less CO2

United States emits 13.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Bangladesh emits 0.7 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 4.7 times more likely to die from air pollution

In United States, air pollution causes 14.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Bangladesh, it causes 66.0 as of 2019.

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

Bangladesh: At a glance

Bangladesh is a sovereign country in South Asia, with a total land area of approximately 130,170 sq km. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region now referred to as Bangladesh began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. Partition in 1947 resulted in an eastern wing of Pakistan in the Muslim-majority area, which became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won independence for Bangladesh in a brief war in 1971, during which at least 300,000 civilians died. The post-independence, AL government faced daunting challenges and in 1975 was overthrown by the military, triggering a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections in 1991. The BNP and AL have alternately held power since then, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime that suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. That government returned the country to fully democratic rule in December 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. In January 2014, the AL won the national election by an overwhelming majority after the BNP boycotted, extending HASINA's term as prime minister. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh has made great progress in food security since independence, and the economy has grown at an average of about 6 percent over the last two decades.
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