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

Health

live 10.4 years longer

In Zimbabwe, the average life expectancy is 63 years (60 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2024. In Russia, that number is 73 years (68 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 31.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Zimbabwe spends $103 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Russia spends $3,204 as of 2023.

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have 37.6 times more doctors per person

Zimbabwe has 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Russia has 51.1 as of 2022.

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have 43.6% more access to essential health services

Zimbabwe scores 55 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Russia scores 79 as of 2021.

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be 19.7% more likely to be obese

In Zimbabwe, 14.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Russia, that number is 17.6% of people as of 2024.

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be 23.2% more likely to die by suicide

Zimbabwe has a suicide rate of 17.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Russia, it is 21.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 77.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Zimbabwe, 9.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Russia, that number is 2.1% as of 2025.

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make 5.8 times more money

Zimbabwe has a GDP per capita of $3,021 as of 2025, while in Russia, the GDP per capita is $17,547 as of 2025.

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Life

be 97.5% 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 Russia, 9.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 11.4% more likely to be literate

In Zimbabwe, the literacy rate is 89.7% as of 2021. In Russia, it is 99.9% as of 2021.

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be 93.4% 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 Russia, on the other hand, 4.1 children do as of 2024.

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have 71.9% fewer children

In Zimbabwe, there are approximately 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Russia, there are 8.4 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 Russia, 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 2.3 times more likely to have internet access

In Zimbabwe, approximately 41.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Russia, about 94.4% do as of 2024.

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be 44.2% 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 Russia, that number is 97% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 90% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 10.9 times more on education

Zimbabwe spends 0.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Russia spends 4.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 2.4 times more on healthcare

Zimbabwe spends 2.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Russia, that number is 7.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 64.5% less likely to die in a road accident

In Zimbabwe, road accidents kill 29.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Russia, they kill 10.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 14.0 times more home broadband

Zimbabwe has 1.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Russia has 27.1 as of 2024.

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live with 91.1% less strain on fresh water

Zimbabwe withdraws 46% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Russia withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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use 14.5 times more electricity

Zimbabwe uses 504 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Russia uses 7,285 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 30.4% less likely to die from air pollution

In Zimbabwe, air pollution causes 56.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Russia, it causes 39.0 as of 2019.

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emit 18.2 times more CO2

Zimbabwe emits 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Russia emits 14.0 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

Russia: At a glance

Russia is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 16,377,742 sq km. Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new ROMANOV Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent republics. Since then, Russia has shifted its post-Soviet democratic ambitions in favor of a centralized semi-authoritarian state in which the leadership seeks to legitimize its rule through managed national elections, populist appeals by President PUTIN, and continued economic growth. Russia has severely disabled a Chechen rebel movement, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus.
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