Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Taiwan instead of Afghanistan, you would:

Health

live 27.5 years longer

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 54 years (52 years for men, 55 years for women) as of 2022. In Taiwan, that number is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 31.9 times more money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $1,500 as of 2021, while in Taiwan, the GDP per capita is $47,800 as of 2019.

be 73.5% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 14.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Taiwan, that number is 3.7% as of 2019.

be 97.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Afghanistan, 54.5% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Taiwan, however, that number is 1.5% as of 2012.

pay a 2.2 times higher top tax rate

Afghanistan has a top tax rate of 20.0% as of 2016. In Taiwan, the top tax rate is 45.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 2.6 times more likely to be literate

In Afghanistan, the literacy rate is 37.3% as of 2021. In Taiwan, it is 98.5% as of 2014.

be 96.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 104.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Taiwan, on the other hand, 4.0 children do as of 2022.

have 78.7% fewer children

In Afghanistan, there are approximately 34.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Taiwan, there are 7.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 5.0 times more likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 18.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Taiwan, about 90.0% do as of 2021.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Afghanistan Revenue Department, Taxation Administration, Ministry of Finance, R.O.C..

Taiwan: At a glance

Taiwan is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 32,260 sq km. In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist control after World War II. Following the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Beginning in the 1950s, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. This process expanded rapidly in the 1980s. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist (Kuomintang or KMT) to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic priorities for economic reform and growth.
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How big is Taiwan compared to Afghanistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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