If you lived in Portugal 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 Portugal, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2024.

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live 19.3 years longer

In Zimbabwe, the average life expectancy is 63 years (60 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 82 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 47.8 times more spent on your healthcare

Zimbabwe spends $103 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Portugal spends $4,928 as of 2024.

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have 43.0 times more doctors per person

Zimbabwe has 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Portugal has 58.5 as of 2022.

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have 60.0% more access to essential health services

Zimbabwe scores 55 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Portugal scores 88 as of 2021.

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be 33.6% less likely to die by suicide

Zimbabwe has a suicide rate of 17.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Portugal, it is 11.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 22.8% more likely to be obese

In Zimbabwe, 14.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 18.1% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 33.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Zimbabwe, 9.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Portugal, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

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be 57.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zimbabwe, 38.3% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Portugal, however, that number is 16.4% as of 2021.

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make 10.6 times more money

Zimbabwe has a GDP per capita of $3,021 as of 2025, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $32,082 as of 2025.

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Life

be 95.8% 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 Portugal, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 95.7% 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 Portugal, on the other hand, 2.7 children do as of 2024.

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have 73.6% fewer children

In Zimbabwe, there are approximately 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Portugal, there are 7.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 61.3% 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 Portugal, 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 2.1 times more likely to have internet access

In Zimbabwe, approximately 41.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Portugal, about 88.5% do as of 2024.

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be 47.7% 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 Portugal, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 12.0 times more on education

Zimbabwe spends 0.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Portugal spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 3.5 times more on healthcare

Zimbabwe spends 2.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 10.2% of GDP as of 2024.

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Safety

be 89.3% less likely to be murdered

Zimbabwe has a homicide rate of 6.8 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Portugal, that number is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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be 75.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Zimbabwe, road accidents kill 29.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Portugal, they kill 7.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 23.3 times more home broadband

Zimbabwe has 1.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Portugal has 45.2 as of 2024.

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live with 73.3% less strain on fresh water

Zimbabwe withdraws 46% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Portugal withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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use 10.5 times more electricity

Zimbabwe uses 504 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Portugal uses 5,294 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 82.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Zimbabwe, air pollution causes 56.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Portugal, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 4.3 times more CO2

Zimbabwe emits 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Portugal emits 3.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Portugal: At a glance

Portugal is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 91,470 sq km. Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
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How big is Portugal compared to Zimbabwe? See an in-depth size comparison.

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