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

Health

be 93.6% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 9.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Venezuela, that number is 0.6% of people as of 2024.

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live 6.1 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 67 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2024. In Venezuela, that number is 73 years (69 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 33.9% more access to essential health services

Zambia scores 56 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Venezuela scores 75 as of 2021.

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be 98.5% more likely to be obese

In Zambia, 11.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Venezuela, that number is 23.0% of people as of 2024.

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see 23.7% less spent on your healthcare

Zambia spends $244 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Venezuela spends $186 as of 2023.

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be 21.0% more likely to die by suicide

Zambia has a suicide rate of 7.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Venezuela, it is 8.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 10.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Venezuela, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.

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make 2.7 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $1,318 as of 2025, while in Venezuela, the GDP per capita is $3,495 as of 2025.

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Life

be 35.9% more likely to be literate

In Zambia, the literacy rate is 71.8% as of 2024. In Venezuela, it is 97.5% as of 2021.

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be 38.7% 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 Venezuela, on the other hand, 21.2 children do as of 2024.

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be 2.7 times more 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 Venezuela, 227.0 women do as of 2023.

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have 53.5% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 32.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Venezuela, there are 15.2 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 Venezuela, 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 4.5 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 17.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Venezuela, about 76.7% do as of 2024.

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be 27.1% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 73% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Venezuela, 93% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 36.8% less on healthcare

Zambia spends 6.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Venezuela, that number is 3.8% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 22.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Zambia, road accidents kill 17.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Venezuela, they kill 13.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 16.4 times more home broadband

Zambia has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Venezuela has 12.9 as of 2024.

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use 2.7 times more electricity

Zambia uses 727 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Venezuela uses 1,953 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 2.7 times more strain on fresh water

Zambia withdraws 3% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Venezuela withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 36.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Zambia, air pollution causes 50.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Venezuela, it causes 32.0 as of 2019.

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emit 6.3 times more CO2

Zambia emits 0.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Venezuela emits 3.4 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Venezuela: At a glance

Venezuela is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 882,050 sq km. Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president from 1999 to 2013, sought to implement his "21st Century Socialism," which purported to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking capitalist globalization and existing democratic institutions. His hand-picked successor, President Nicolas MADURO, continues CHAVEZ's socialist programs. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, rampant violent crime, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, foreign exchange controls that discourage private-sector investment, high inflation, a decline in the quality of fundamental houman rights, and widespread scarcity of consumer goods.
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