If you lived in Republic of the Congo instead of Vanuatu, you would:

Health

be 45.9% less likely to be obese

In Vanuatu, 22.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 12.2% of people as of 2024.

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see 47.9% more spent on your healthcare

Vanuatu spends $141 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Republic of the Congo spends $209 as of 2023.

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be 57.3% less likely to die by suicide

Vanuatu has a suicide rate of 15.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Republic of the Congo, it is 6.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 32.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Vanuatu, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 3.2% of people as of 2024.

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live 5.7 years less

In Vanuatu, the average life expectancy is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 12.8% less access to essential health services

Vanuatu scores 47 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Republic of the Congo scores 41 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 3.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In Vanuatu, 5.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 19.9% as of 2025.

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make 37.7% less money

Vanuatu has a GDP per capita of $4,039 as of 2025, while in Republic of the Congo, the GDP per capita is $2,515 as of 2025.

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Life

have 10.0% more children

In Vanuatu, there are approximately 27.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, there are 30.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 2.4 times more 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 Republic of the Congo, 241.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 87.5% more likely to die during infancy

In Vanuatu, approximately 14.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Republic of the Congo, on the other hand, 27.0 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 16.7% less 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 Republic of the Congo, that number is 51% of people on average (69% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 32.4% less likely to have internet access

In Vanuatu, approximately 69.9% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Republic of the Congo, about 47.2% do as of 2024.

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be 15.6% less 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 Republic of the Congo, that number is 73% of people on average (87% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2021.

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Expenditures

spend 56.3% less on education

Vanuatu spends 7.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Republic of the Congo spends 3.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 19.9% less on healthcare

Vanuatu spends 4.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 3.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 93.3% less coastline

Vanuatu has a total of 2,528 km of coastline. In Republic of the Congo, that number is 169 km.

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Safety

be 32.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Vanuatu, road accidents kill 12.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Republic of the Congo, they kill 8.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Environment

be 15.8% more likely to die from air pollution

In Vanuatu, air pollution causes 57.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Republic of the Congo, it causes 66.0 as of 2019.

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emit 54.0% more CO2

Vanuatu emits 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Republic of the Congo emits 1.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Republic of the Congo: At a glance

Republic of the Congo is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 341,500 sq km. Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.
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