If you lived in Qatar 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 Qatar, that number is 0.1% of people as of 2024.

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live 16.0 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 67 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2024. In Qatar, that number is 83 years (82 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 11.9 times more spent on your healthcare

Zambia spends $244 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Qatar spends $2,901 as of 2023.

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have 9.3 times more doctors per person

Zambia has 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Qatar has 30.2 as of 2023.

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have 35.7% more access to essential health services

Zambia scores 56 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Qatar scores 76 as of 2021.

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be 34.1% less likely to die by suicide

Zambia has a suicide rate of 7.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Qatar, it is 4.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 3.6 times more likely to be obese

In Zambia, 11.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Qatar, that number is 42.0% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 97.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Qatar, that number is 0.1% as of 2025.

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make 55.0 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $1,318 as of 2025, while in Qatar, the GDP per capita is $72,525 as of 2025.

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Life

be 95.3% 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 Qatar, 4.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 86.1% 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 Qatar, on the other hand, 4.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 70.9% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 32.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Qatar, there are 9.5 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 Qatar, 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 5.7 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 17.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Qatar, about 98.1% do as of 2024.

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be 36.2% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 73% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Qatar, 100% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 20.6% less on education

Zambia spends 4.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Qatar spends 3.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

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spend 57.9% less on healthcare

Zambia spends 6.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Qatar, that number is 2.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 57.3% less likely to die in a road accident

In Zambia, road accidents kill 17.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Qatar, they kill 7.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 15.0 times more home broadband

Zambia has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Qatar has 11.8 as of 2024.

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use 27.5 times more electricity

Zambia uses 727 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Qatar uses 19,963 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 151.8 times more strain on fresh water

Zambia withdraws 3% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Qatar withdraws 431% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 82.0% more likely to die from air pollution

In Zambia, air pollution causes 50.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Qatar, it causes 91.0 as of 2019.

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emit 87.6 times more CO2

Zambia emits 0.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Qatar emits 47.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Qatar: At a glance

Qatar is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 11,586 sq km. Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the Amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, overthrew the father in a bloodless coup in 1995. In short order, HAMAD oversaw the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's pursuit of a leadership role in mediating regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. As of 2007, oil and natural gas revenues had enabled Qatar to attain the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar has not experienced domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2010-11, due in part to its immense wealth. Since the outbreak of regional unrest, however, Doha has prided itself on its support for many of these popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. In mid-2013, HAMAD transferred power to his 33 year-old son, TAMIM bin Hamad - a peaceful abdication rare in the history of Arab Gulf states. TAMIM has prioritized improving the domestic welfare of Qataris, including establishing advanced healthcare and education systems and expanding the country's infrastructure in anticipation of Doha's hosting of the 2022 World Cup.
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