If you lived in Central African Republic instead of Vietnam, you would:

Health

be 6.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Vietnam, 0.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 2.4% of people as of 2024.

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live 17.1 years less

In Vietnam, the average life expectancy is 75 years (70 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 58 years (56 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 4.6 times more likely to be obese

In Vietnam, 2.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 10.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 80.2% less spent on your healthcare

Vietnam spends $690 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Central African Republic spends $137 as of 2023.

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have 93.3% fewer doctors per person

Vietnam has 11.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. Central African Republic has 0.7 as of 2023.

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have 52.9% less access to essential health services

Vietnam scores 68 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Central African Republic scores 32 as of 2021.

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be 25.9% more likely to die by suicide

Vietnam has a suicide rate of 7.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Central African Republic, it is 9.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 4.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Vietnam, 1.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Central African Republic, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

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be 16.4 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Vietnam, 4.2% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Central African Republic, however, that number is 68.8% as of 2021.

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make 89.0% less money

Vietnam has a GDP per capita of $5,066 as of 2025, while in Central African Republic, the GDP per capita is $556 as of 2025.

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Life

have 3.4 times more children

In Vietnam, there are approximately 13.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Central African Republic, there are 46.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 14.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Vietnam, approximately 48.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Central African Republic, 692.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 61.0% less likely to be literate

In Vietnam, the literacy rate is 96.1% as of 2022. In Central African Republic, it is 37.5% as of 2020.

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be 4.9 times more likely to die during infancy

In Vietnam, approximately 12.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Central African Republic, on the other hand, 58.8 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 82.4% less likely to have access to electricity

In Vietnam, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 18% of people on average (37% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 83.6% less likely to have internet access

In Vietnam, approximately 84.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Central African Republic, about 13.8% do as of 2024.

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be 63.0% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Vietnam, approximately 99% of people have access to drinking water (99% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 36% of people on average (48% in urban areas, and 27% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 36.7% less on education

Vietnam spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Central African Republic spends 1.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 2.3 times more on healthcare

Vietnam spends 4.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 10.7% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 46.3% more likely to die in a road accident

In Vietnam, road accidents kill 17.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Central African Republic, they kill 25.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 98.1% less strain on fresh water

Vietnam withdraws 18% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Central African Republic withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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find 99.9% less home broadband

Vietnam has 23.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Central African Republic has 0.0 as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 98.6% less CO2

Vietnam emits 4.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Central African Republic emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 88.5% more likely to die from air pollution

In Vietnam, air pollution causes 52.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Central African Republic, it causes 98.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this

Central African Republic: At a glance

Central African Republic is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 622,984 sq km. The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March, 2003 President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as flawed. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. The militant group the Lord's Resistance Army continues to destabilize southeastern Central African Republic, and several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - who are unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership. In March 2013, the coalition government dissolved, rebels seized the capital, and President BOZIZE fled the country. Rebel leader Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency, reappointed Nicolas TIANGAYE as Prime Minister, and established a transitional government on 31 March. On 13 April 2013, the National Transitional Council affirmed DJOTODIA as President.
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