If you lived in Belize instead of Zambia, you would:

Health

be 87.2% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 9.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Belize, that number is 1.2% of people as of 2024.

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live 7.2 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 67 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2024. In Belize, that number is 74 years (71 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 2.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Zambia spends $244 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Belize spends $573 as of 2023.

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have 21.4% more access to essential health services

Zambia scores 56 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Belize scores 68 as of 2021.

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be 41.4% less likely to die by suicide

Zambia has a suicide rate of 7.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Belize, it is 4.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 3.7 times more likely to be obese

In Zambia, 11.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Belize, that number is 43.4% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 6.0 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $1,318 as of 2025, while in Belize, the GDP per capita is $7,865 as of 2025.

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be 49.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Belize, that number is 8.9% as of 2025.

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Life

be 21.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Zambia, approximately 85.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Belize, 67.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 22.4% more likely to be literate

In Zambia, the literacy rate is 71.8% as of 2024. In Belize, it is 87.9% as of 2022.

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be 68.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Zambia, approximately 34.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Belize, on the other hand, 10.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 44.8% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 32.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Belize, there are 18.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 94.9% more likely to have access to electricity

In Zambia, approximately 51% of people have electricity access (90% in urban areas, and 18% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Belize, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 4.7 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 17.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Belize, about 80.0% do as of 2024.

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be 29.2% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 73% of people have access to drinking water (90% in urban areas, and 58% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Belize, that number is 95% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 91% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 30.6% less on healthcare

Zambia spends 6.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Belize, that number is 4.2% of GDP as of 2023.

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spend 13.5% more on education

Zambia spends 4.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Belize spends 4.6% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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Infrastructure

find 12.3 times more home broadband

Zambia has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Belize has 9.8 as of 2022.

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live with 55.6% less strain on fresh water

Zambia withdraws 3% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Belize withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 58.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Zambia, air pollution causes 50.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Belize, it causes 21.0 as of 2019.

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emit 72.2% more CO2

Zambia emits 0.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Belize emits 0.9 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

Belize: At a glance

Belize is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 22,806 sq km. Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the country's heavy foreign debt burden, high unemployment, growing involvement in the Mexican and South American drug trade, high crime rates, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America.
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How big is Belize compared to Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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