Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 96.4% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 11.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Colombia, that number is 0.4% of people as of 2020.

live 8.6 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022. In Colombia, that number is 75 years (71 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2022.

be 2.8 times more likely to be obese

In Zambia, 8.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Colombia, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 4.1 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $3,300 as of 2020, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $13,400 as of 2020.

be 30.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 15.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2008. In Colombia, that number is 10.5% as of 2019.

be 34.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zambia, 54.4% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Colombia, however, that number is 35.7% as of 2019.

Life

be 61.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Zambia, approximately 213.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Colombia, 83.0 women do as of 2017.

be 10.3% more likely to be literate

In Zambia, the literacy rate is 86.7% as of 2018. In Colombia, it is 95.6% as of 2020.

be 68.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Zambia, approximately 37.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Colombia, on the other hand, 11.7 children do as of 2022.

have 56.4% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 34.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Colombia, there are 15.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 2.6 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Zambia, approximately 37% of people have electricity access (76% in urban areas, and 6% in rural areas) as of 2019. In Colombia, that number is 97% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 86% in rural areas) as of 2019.

be 3.5 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 20.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Colombia, about 70.0% do as of 2020.

be 36.5% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 72% of people have improved drinking water access (90% in urban areas, and 57% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Colombia, that number is 98% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 88% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 45.3% more on healthcare

Zambia spends 5.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2019. In Colombia, that number is 7.7% of GDP as of 2019.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Colombia: At a glance

Colombia is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,038,700 sq km. Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. In November 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
Read more

How big is Colombia compared to Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Colombia.or Zambia It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.