If you lived in Mauritius instead of Vanuatu, you would:

Health

live 2.1 years longer

In Vanuatu, the average life expectancy is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024. In Mauritius, that number is 74 years (70 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 11.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Vanuatu spends $141 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Mauritius spends $1,566 as of 2023.

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have 8.8 times more doctors per person

Vanuatu has 1.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2019. Mauritius has 14.4 as of 2022.

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have 40.4% more access to essential health services

Vanuatu scores 47 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Mauritius scores 66 as of 2021.

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be 33.1% less likely to die by suicide

Vanuatu has a suicide rate of 15.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Mauritius, it is 10.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 47.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Vanuatu, 15.9% live below the poverty line as of 2020. In Mauritius, however, that number is 8.4% as of 2023.

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make 3.2 times more money

Vanuatu has a GDP per capita of $4,039 as of 2025, while in Mauritius, the GDP per capita is $12,991 as of 2025.

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be 11.0% more likely to be unemployed

In Vanuatu, 5.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Mauritius, that number is 5.6% as of 2025.

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Life

be 34.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Vanuatu, approximately 100.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Mauritius, 66.0 women do as of 2023.

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have 62.7% fewer children

In Vanuatu, there are approximately 27.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Mauritius, there are 10.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 62.3% more likely to have access to electricity

In Vanuatu, approximately 62% of people have electricity access (88% in urban areas, and 54% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Mauritius, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 14.7% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Vanuatu, approximately 87% of people have access to drinking water (97% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Mauritius, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 44.4% less on education

Vanuatu spends 7.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Mauritius spends 4.2% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 35.2% more on healthcare

Vanuatu spends 4.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Mauritius, that number is 5.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 93.0% less coastline

Vanuatu has a total of 2,528 km of coastline. In Mauritius, that number is 177 km.

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Safety

be 22.4% less likely to die in a road accident

In Vanuatu, road accidents kill 12.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Mauritius, they kill 9.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 6.9 times more likely to be murdered

Vanuatu has a homicide rate of 0.3 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In Mauritius, that number is 2.3 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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Infrastructure

find 24.1 times more home broadband

Vanuatu has 1.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Mauritius has 28.0 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 50.9% less likely to die from air pollution

In Vanuatu, air pollution causes 57.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Mauritius, it causes 28.0 as of 2019.

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emit 4.1 times more CO2

Vanuatu emits 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Mauritius emits 3.5 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this

Mauritius: At a glance

Mauritius is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 2,030 sq km. Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.
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