The duel
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The Central African Republic is 65% bigger than Japan
Central African Republic: 622,980 km² (2024) · Japan: 377,975 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
Central African Republic: 0 km (2026 edition) · Japan: 29,751 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Japan’s highest peak towers 2,366 m above the Central African Republic’s
Central African Republic: 1,410 m (2026 edition) · Japan: 3,776 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 13% of Japan, versus 9.3% of the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 9.3% (2024) · Japan: 12.6% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Japan has 22 times as many people as the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 5.51 million (2025) · Japan: 123 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Japan is 38 times as densely populated as the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 9 per km² (2025) · Japan: 338 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Japan are 3.1 cm taller than in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 169 cm (2019) · Japan: 172.1 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the Central African Republic are 1.2 cm taller than in Japan
Central African Republic: 159.7 cm (2019) · Japan: 158.5 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Japan is 35 years older than in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 14.3 years (2023) · Japan: 49 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the Central African Republic have 4.8 more children on average than in Japan
Central African Republic: 5.95 children per woman (2024) · Japan: 1.15 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
30% of people in Japan are 65 or older, versus 2.2% in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 2.2% (2025) · Japan: 30% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
The Central African Republic hosts 29 times as many refugees per resident as Japan
Central African Republic: 10 per 1,000 (2025) · Japan: 0.3 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Japan has produced 2.5 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the Central African Republic none
Central African Republic: 0 (2026) · Japan: 2.5 (2026)
How many official languages?
The Central African Republic has 2 official languages, Japan 1
Central African Republic: 2 (2026) · Japan: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Japan’s economy is 1,447 times the size of the Central African Republic’s
Central African Republic: $3.07 billion (2025) · Japan: $4.44 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Japan produces 42 times as much per person as the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: Int$1,314 (2025) · Japan: Int$55,422 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in the Central African Republic than in Japan (Gini 10.7 points higher)
Central African Republic: 43 (2021) · Japan: 32.3 (2020)
How many live on less than $3 a day?
72% of people in the Central African Republic live on less than $3 a day, versus 1.2% in Japan
Central African Republic: 71.6% (2021) · Japan: 1.2% (2020)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 6.3% in the Central African Republic, versus 2.5% in Japan
Central African Republic: 6.3% (2025) · Japan: 2.5% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
The Central African Republic spends 2.3% of its GDP on the military, Japan 1.4%
Central African Republic: 2.3% (2025) · Japan: 1.4% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
Central African Republic: 8.2% (2021) · Japan: no data
How expensive is it?
Japan’s price level (US = 100) is 1.5× the Central African Republic’s
Central African Republic: 42% (2025) · Japan: 65% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Japan spends 68 times as much on health per person as the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: $54 (2023) · Japan: $3,638 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Japan live 26 years longer than in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 57.7 years (2024) · Japan: 84 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the Central African Republic is 33 times as likely to die before turning one as in Japan
Central African Republic: 58.8 per 1,000 (2024) · Japan: 1.8 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Japan has 36 times as many doctors per person as the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 0.1 per 1,000 (2023) · Japan: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How many hospital beds are there?
Central African Republic: no data · Japan: 12.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in the Central African Republic is 67% higher than in Japan
Central African Republic: 24 per 100k (2023) · Japan: 14.4 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
8.9% of adults in the Central African Republic are obese, versus 5.2% in Japan
Central African Republic: 8.9% (2024) · Japan: 5.2% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
Central African Republic: no data · Japan: 17.5% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Japan rate their lives 2.65 points higher than in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 3.48 (2019) · Japan: 6.13 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Japan drink 3.4 times as much alcohol as in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 1.8 litres (2023) · Japan: 6.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Japan has 53% more meat per person than the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 39.1 kg (2022) · Japan: 59.9 kg (2022)
How much food is there per day?
Japan has 251 kcal more food per person per day than the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 2,419 kcal (2022) · Japan: 2,670 kcal (2022)
How long do people work?
Central African Republic: no data · Japan: 1,654 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Japan went to school 8.7 years longer than in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 4 years (2023) · Japan: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Japan welcomed 17 times as many tourists per resident as the Central African Republic (2019)
Central African Republic: 0.02 (2019) · Japan: 0.3 (2024)
How many World Heritage sites?
Japan has 25 more World Heritage sites than the Central African Republic (27 against 2)
Central African Republic: 2 (2026) · Japan: 27 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
Japan has won 642 Olympic medals, the Central African Republic none
Central African Republic: 0 (2026 edition) · Japan: 642 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
86% of people in Japan are online, versus 14% in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 14% (2024) · Japan: 86% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Home internet in Japan is 4.2 times as fast as in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 76 Mbps (2026) · Japan: 322 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in Japan have electricity, versus 18% in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 18.2% (2024) · Japan: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
92% of people in Japan live in cities, versus 45% in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 45% (2025) · Japan: 92% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Japan has 178 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the Central African Republic 39
Central African Republic: 39 (2022) · Japan: 178 (2023)
How much railway is there?
Central African Republic: no data · Japan: 20,087 km (2011)
How much do they fly?
Central African Republic: no data · Japan: 0.98 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 72% of the Central African Republic, but only 68% of Japan
Central African Republic: 72.5% (2024) · Japan: 68.3% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Japan emits 105 times as much CO₂ as someone in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 0.1 t (2024) · Japan: 7.8 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
100% of the Central African Republic’s electricity is renewable, versus 24% in Japan
Central African Republic: 100% (2023) · Japan: 23.6% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in the Central African Republic carries 3.1 times as much fine dust as in Japan
Central African Republic: 32.3 µg/m³ (2024) · Japan: 10.5 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
Central African Republic: no data · Japan: 0.2 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the Central African Republic are 7.8 times as deadly as in Japan
Central African Republic: 29.6 per 100k (2023) · Japan: 3.8 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The Central African Republic is on average 13.8 °C warmer than Japan
Central African Republic: 26.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · Japan: 12.8°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Japan gets 70% more rain than the Central African Republic
Central African Republic: 1,072 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Japan: 1,824 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Between them
People, goods and passports that cross from one to the other
Quick answers
Is the Central African Republic bigger than Japan?
The Central African Republic is larger. The Central African Republic is 65% bigger than Japan.
Which has more people, the Central African Republic or Japan?
Japan has 22 times as many people as the Central African Republic (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, the Central African Republic or Japan?
People in Japan live 26 years longer than in the Central African Republic. Life expectancy at birth is 57.7 years in the Central African Republic and 84.0 in Japan.
Are people taller in the Central African Republic or Japan?
Men in Japan are 3.1 cm taller than in the Central African Republic (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
