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

Health

be 98.9% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 9.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Oman, that number is 0.1% of people as of 2024.

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live 13.7 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 67 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2024. In Oman, that number is 80 years (79 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 5.9 times more spent on your healthcare

Zambia spends $244 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Oman spends $1,444 as of 2023.

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have 6.1 times more doctors per person

Zambia has 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Oman has 19.9 as of 2022.

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have 25.0% more access to essential health services

Zambia scores 56 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Oman scores 70 as of 2021.

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be 87.2% less likely to die by suicide

Zambia has a suicide rate of 7.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Oman, it is 0.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.6 times more likely to be obese

In Zambia, 11.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Oman, that number is 30.5% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 45.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Oman, that number is 3.2% as of 2025.

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make 15.1 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $1,318 as of 2025, while in Oman, the GDP per capita is $19,947 as of 2025.

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Life

be 84.7% 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 Oman, 13.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 35.6% more likely to be literate

In Zambia, the literacy rate is 71.8% as of 2024. In Oman, it is 97.3% as of 2022.

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be 76.0% 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 Oman, on the other hand, 8.3 children do as of 2024.

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have 48.7% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 32.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Oman, there are 16.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 95.7% 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 Oman, 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 5.6 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 17.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Oman, about 95.2% do as of 2024.

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be 26.2% 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 Oman, that number is 93% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 76% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 41.6% less on healthcare

Zambia spends 6.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Oman, that number is 3.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 35.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Zambia, road accidents kill 17.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Oman, they kill 11.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 14.0 times more home broadband

Zambia has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Oman has 11.1 as of 2024.

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use 11.3 times more electricity

Zambia uses 727 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Oman uses 8,203 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 41.1 times more strain on fresh water

Zambia withdraws 3% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Oman withdraws 117% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 2.1 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Zambia, air pollution causes 50.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Oman, it causes 104.0 as of 2019.

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emit 34.5 times more CO2

Zambia emits 0.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Oman emits 18.6 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

Oman: At a glance

Oman is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 309,500 sq km. The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, but it never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al-Said overthrew his father, and he has since ruled as sultan. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries. Inspired by the popular uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa beginning in January 2011, some Omanis began staging marches, demonstrations, and sit-ins calling mostly for more jobs and economic benefits and an end to corruption. In response to those protester demands, QABOOS in 2011 pledged to implement economic and political reforms, such as granting legislative and regulatory powers to the Majlis al-Shura and introducing unemployment benefits. Additionally, in August 2012, the Sultan announced a royal directive mandating the speedy implementation of a national job creation plan for thousands of public and private sector jobs. As part of the government's efforts to decentralize authority and allow greater citizen participation in local governance, Oman successfully conducted its first municipal council elections in December 2012. Announced by the Sultan in 2011, the municipal councils will have the power to advise the Royal Court on the needs of local districts across Oman's 11 governorates.
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