Comparison of the USA and Nicaragua

Here is an interesting info-graphic directly contrasting facts and figures between my host and home countries.  I’ll take you through line by line.  Nicaragua:

3.9 higher infant mortality rate

Thankfully, my time spent in hospitals here has been limited so I can’t speak for this statistic.  I can say that the only places fully equipped for giving birth are hospitals (maybe 20 in the entire country) and casas maternas (maternity homes; more than 40 across the country).  Obviously this means many births are occurring without medical oversight or in centros de salud (heath centers) or at home.

Uses 96.57% less electricity

This strikes me as a staggering statistic.  Currently in my entire house, only 3 things are plugged into outlets: my laptop, fan and refrigerator.  At night, my electricity consumption jumps up to turning on any or my 6 light bulbs.  And that’s only when I have electricity, which has been disturbingly frequent as of late…  Anyway, my monthly electricity bill is about $5.

Earn 93.97% less money

As I’ve mentioned in the past, Peace Corps Volunteers salaries are pegged to our local counterparts.  What they earn, we earn.  I know it’s a little bit of a faux pas for Americans to discuss incomes but I think it will help you understand how little that figure if I share my current pay with you.  Adjusted into American dollars, I make less than $190/month – less than $2280 annually.  Again, I’m stating this not out of pity (though I do love care packages!) but to explain that it is a livable salary in Nicaragua.

Consume 92.3% less oil

This is makes sense considering the previous statistic.  If you don’t earn much money, owning a vehicle is unlikely.  Nearly all of my traveling is done by public transportation on chicken buses with 140 of my brand new physically closest friends.

Have 64.64% more babies

With a higher instance of infant mortality it only makes sense that Nicaragua would have a right birthrate.  Thankfully, both of those numbers are moving closer to Western levels but they’re not without their exceptions.  Last week, I met a Nica (age 20) who’s father is 86 years old has 26 children (with multiple women).

Spend 96.5% less on healthcare

Universal healthcare will do that to you.  Remember this is for personal expenditure, not government or where Nicas’ tax dollars are going and mentions nothing about the quality of care.  Anyway, they fixed my gallbladder so I’m impressed.

36.56% MORE chance of being employed

Well as a small business development volunteer I guess this means my work is done and I can come home!  Or, and more likely, that it’s incredible hard to obtain reliable data on such topics.  Whatever the cause may be, I don’t recommending coming to the land of lakes and volcanoes because your job prospects in the USA aren’t working out.

Die 6.46 years sooner

Uh oh.  I guess the pollution, access to healthcare and the general lack of regulation means most Nicas won’t live to see their 72 birthday.  I hear this statistic has zero effect on PCVs (source: my intuition, date: this present moment).

66.67% less likely to contract AIDS

I guess health PCVs can call it quits and head home too.  But unfortunately I believe AIDS is highly underreported due to stigma not dissimilar to the one in the United States faced in the 80s.

4.22% closer to the mean of income equality

This statistic was a little harder to comprehend but I believe it boils down to income distribution.  Whatever your opinion is on the topic, it is a little alarming.  I live in the northern part of Nicaragua where poverty is the most rampant.  In my town, there are children selling sodas and begging for $0.02 instead of going to school.  Conversely in Managua, there are families going to the movie theaters, shopping centers and fancy restaurants.  Despite these vastly different life styles, according to the statistic, income is distributed more equally in Nicaragua than in America.  Definitely something to ponder.  An interesting viral video that came out recently about the same topic can be watched here (disclaimer: it's left leaning).

Anyways that’s it.  How many electronics/appliances do you have plugged in at the moment or how much do you spend on electricity?