Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 98.2% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 11.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Switzerland, that number is 0.2% of people as of 2020.

live 17.0 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022. In Switzerland, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

be 2.4 times more likely to be obese

In Zambia, 8.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Switzerland, that number is 19.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 21.3 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $3,400 as of 2022, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $72,300 as of 2022.

be 73.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zambia, 54.4% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Switzerland, however, that number is 14.7% as of 2020.

pay a 14.3% higher top tax rate

Zambia has a top tax rate of 35.0% as of 2016. In Switzerland, the top tax rate is 40.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 94.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In Zambia, approximately 135.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Switzerland, 7.0 women do as of 2020.

be 90.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Zambia, approximately 37.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.6 children do as of 2022.

have 70.4% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 34.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Switzerland, there are 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 2.1 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Zambia, approximately 47% of the population has electricity access as of 2021. In Switzerland, 100% of the population do as of 2021.

be 4.6 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 21.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Switzerland, about 96.0% do as of 2021.

be 39.7% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 72% of people have improved drinking water access (90% in urban areas, and 57% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Switzerland, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 40.5% more on education

Zambia spends 3.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Switzerland spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 2.1 times more on healthcare

Zambia spends 5.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Switzerland, that number is 11.8% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Zambia Revenue Authority, Swiss Federal Tax Administration.

Switzerland: At a glance

Switzerland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 39,997 sq km. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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How big is Switzerland compared to Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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