Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 54.4% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Swaziland, that number is 16.5% of people as of 2016.

live 21.7 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 80 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Swaziland, that number is 59 years (56 years for men, 61 years for women) as of 2020.

Economy

pay a 16.7% lower top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Swaziland, the top tax rate is 33.0% as of 2016.

make 83.1% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $59,800 as of 2017, while in Swaziland, the GDP per capita is $10,100 as of 2017.

be 6.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In United States, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Swaziland, that number is 28.0% as of 2014.

be 4.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Swaziland, however, that number is 63.0% as of 2010.

Life

have 97.6% more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020. In Swaziland, there are 24.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020.

be 23.0 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 Swaziland, 437.0 women do as of 2017.

be 8.1 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.3 children die before they reach the age of one as of 2020. In Swaziland, on the other hand, 42.8 children do as of 2020.

Basic Needs

be 34.2% less likely to have access to electricity

In United States, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2016. In Swaziland, 66% of the population do as of 2017.

be 46.1% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 87.3% of the population has internet access as of 2018. In Swaziland, about 47.0% do as of 2018.

be 20.9% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In United States, approximately 99% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2017. In Swaziland, that number is 78% of people on average (97% in urban areas, and 72% in rural areas) as of 2017.

Expenditures

spend 42.0% more on education

United States spends 5.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2014. Swaziland spends 7.1% of total GDP on education as of 2014.

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

Swaziland: At a glance

Swaziland is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 17,204 sq km. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, Africa's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.
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How big is Swaziland compared to United States? See an in-depth size comparison.

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