If you lived in Papua New Guinea instead of Uzbekistan, you would:

Health

be 10.4% less likely to be obese

In Uzbekistan, 31.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 28.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 78.2% less likely to die by suicide

Uzbekistan has a suicide rate of 8.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Papua New Guinea, it is 1.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 6.3 years less

In Uzbekistan, the average life expectancy is 73 years (70 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 82.2% less spent on your healthcare

Uzbekistan spends $749 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Papua New Guinea spends $133 as of 2023.

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have 97.8% fewer doctors per person

Uzbekistan has 28.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. Papua New Guinea has 0.6 as of 2023.

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have 60.0% less access to essential health services

Uzbekistan scores 75 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Papua New Guinea scores 30 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 44.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Uzbekistan, 4.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 2.6% as of 2025.

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make 23.9% less money

Uzbekistan has a GDP per capita of $3,968 as of 2025, while in Papua New Guinea, the GDP per capita is $3,020 as of 2025.

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Life

be 7.3 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Uzbekistan, approximately 26.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Papua New Guinea, 189.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 13.0% less likely to be literate

In Uzbekistan, the literacy rate is 100.0% as of 2022. In Papua New Guinea, it is 87.0% as of 2022.

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be 2.4 times more likely to die during infancy

In Uzbekistan, approximately 12.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Papua New Guinea, on the other hand, 31.3 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 79.5% less likely to have access to electricity

In Uzbekistan, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 20% of people on average (65% in urban areas, and 13% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 79.0% less likely to have internet access

In Uzbekistan, approximately 89.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Papua New Guinea, about 18.8% do as of 2024.

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be 45.2% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Uzbekistan, approximately 97% of people have access to drinking water (98% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 53% of people on average (84% in urban areas, and 48% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 85.7% less on education

Uzbekistan spends 5.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Papua New Guinea spends 0.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 57.4% less on healthcare

Uzbekistan spends 6.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Papua New Guinea, that number is 2.9% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 60.2% more likely to die in a road accident

In Uzbekistan, road accidents kill 9.3 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Papua New Guinea, they kill 14.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 99.9% less strain on fresh water

Uzbekistan withdraws 123% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Papua New Guinea withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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find 99.3% less home broadband

Uzbekistan has 34.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Papua New Guinea has 0.2 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 67.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Uzbekistan, air pollution causes 117.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Papua New Guinea, it causes 38.0 as of 2019.

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emit 87.3% less CO2

Uzbekistan emits 4.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Papua New Guinea emits 0.5 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Papua New Guinea: At a glance

Papua New Guinea (sometimes abbreviated PNG) is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 452,860 sq km. The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.
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How big is Papua New Guinea compared to Uzbekistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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