Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 47.8% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

live 15.0 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

pay a 36.9% lower top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Botswana, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

make 73.4% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $60,200 as of 2020, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $16,000 as of 2020.

be 5.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In United States, 3.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2018. In Botswana, that number is 20.0% as of 2013.

be 27.8% more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Botswana, however, that number is 19.3% as of 2009.

Life

have 65.1% more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Botswana, there are 20.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 7.6 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 19.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Botswana, 144.0 women do as of 2017.

be 4.9 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Botswana, on the other hand, 25.2 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 41.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In United States, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2020. In Botswana, 59% of the population do as of 2019.

be 29.7% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 91.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Botswana, about 64.0% do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 63.7% less on healthcare

United States spends 16.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2019. In Botswana, that number is 6.1% of GDP as of 2019.

spend 38.0% more on education

United States spends 5.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2014. Botswana spends 6.9% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Botswana Unified Revenue Service, Internal Revenue Service.

Botswana: At a glance

Botswana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 566,730 sq km. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
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How big is Botswana compared to United States? See an in-depth size comparison.

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