Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 77.6% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Zambia, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2016.

live 26.7 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 80 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Zambia, that number is 54 years (52 years for men, 55 years for women) as of 2020.

Economy

pay a 11.6% lower top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Zambia, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

make 93.3% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $59,800 as of 2017, while in Zambia, the GDP per capita is $4,000 as of 2017.

be 3.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In United States, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Zambia, that number is 15.0% as of 2008.

be 3.6 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Zambia, however, that number is 54.4% as of 2015.

Life

have 3.3 times more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020. In Zambia, there are 40.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020.

be 11.2 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 Zambia, 213.0 women do as of 2017.

be 10.6 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 Zambia, on the other hand, 56.0 children do as of 2020.

Basic Needs

be 67.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In United States, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2016. In Zambia, 33% of the population do as of 2017.

be 83.6% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 87.3% of the population has internet access as of 2018. In Zambia, about 14.3% do as of 2018.

be 31.8% 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 Zambia, that number is 68% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 51% in rural areas) as of 2017.

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

Zambia: At a glance

Zambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 743,398 sq km. The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected president in September 2011.
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