If you lived in Cambodia instead of Zimbabwe, you would:

Health

be 94.9% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zimbabwe, 9.8% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Cambodia, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2024.

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live 7.8 years longer

In Zimbabwe, the average life expectancy is 63 years (60 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2024. In Cambodia, that number is 71 years (68 years for men, 73 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 66.6% less likely to be obese

In Zimbabwe, 14.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Cambodia, that number is 4.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 3.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Zimbabwe spends $103 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Cambodia spends $350 as of 2023.

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be 74.0% less likely to die by suicide

Zimbabwe has a suicide rate of 17.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Cambodia, it is 4.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 97.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Zimbabwe, 9.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Cambodia, that number is 0.3% as of 2025.

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be 56.9% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zimbabwe, 38.3% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Cambodia, however, that number is 16.5% as of 2016.

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Life

be 61.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Zimbabwe, approximately 358.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Cambodia, 137.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 73.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Zimbabwe, approximately 62.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Cambodia, on the other hand, 16.4 children do as of 2024.

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be 19.8% less likely to be literate

In Zimbabwe, the literacy rate is 89.7% as of 2021. In Cambodia, it is 71.9% as of 2021.

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have 32.1% fewer children

In Zimbabwe, there are approximately 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Cambodia, there are 20.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 53.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Zimbabwe, approximately 62% of people have electricity access (84% in urban areas, and 51% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Cambodia, that number is 95% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 93% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 64.5% more likely to have internet access

In Zimbabwe, approximately 41.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Cambodia, about 68.5% do as of 2024.

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be 23.3% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Zimbabwe, approximately 67% of people have access to drinking water (94% in urban areas, and 54% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Cambodia, that number is 83% of people on average (94% in urban areas, and 79% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 5.7 times more on education

Zimbabwe spends 0.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Cambodia spends 2.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 57.7% more on healthcare

Zimbabwe spends 2.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Cambodia, that number is 4.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 37.1% less likely to die in a road accident

In Zimbabwe, road accidents kill 29.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Cambodia, they kill 18.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 2.1 times more home broadband

Zimbabwe has 1.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Cambodia has 4.2 as of 2024.

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live with 97.7% less strain on fresh water

Zimbabwe withdraws 46% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Cambodia withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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use 85.1% more electricity

Zimbabwe uses 504 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Cambodia uses 932 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 42.9% more CO2

Zimbabwe emits 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Cambodia emits 1.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2016–2021), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this

Cambodia: At a glance

Cambodia is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 176,515 sq km. Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders have been tried or are awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, with little of the pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful, as were commune council elections in June 2012.
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