Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Latvia instead of Botswana, you would:

Health

be 98.5% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Botswana, 19.9% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Latvia, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2019.

live 10.3 years longer

In Botswana, the average life expectancy is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022. In Latvia, that number is 76 years (71 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022.

be 24.9% more likely to be obese

In Botswana, 18.9% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Latvia, that number is 23.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 2.2 times more money

Botswana has a GDP per capita of $17,500 as of 2023, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $37,800 as of 2023.

be 72.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Botswana, 23.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Latvia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.

be 39.8% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Botswana, 16.1% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Latvia, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

Life

be 90.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Botswana, approximately 186.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Latvia, 18.0 women do as of 2020.

be 12.9% more likely to be literate

In Botswana, the literacy rate is 88.5% as of 2015. In Latvia, it is 99.9% as of 2021.

be 80.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Botswana, approximately 25.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Latvia, on the other hand, 4.8 children do as of 2022.

have 57.7% fewer children

In Botswana, there are approximately 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Latvia, there are 8.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 31.8% more likely to have access to electricity

In Botswana, approximately 76% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Latvia, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 21.4% more likely to have internet access

In Botswana, approximately 74.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Latvia, about 89.8% do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 31.0% less on education

Botswana spends 8.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Latvia spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 21.0% more on healthcare

Botswana spends 6.2% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Latvia, that number is 7.5% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Latvia: At a glance

Latvia is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 62,249 sq km. The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 28% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the eurozone in 2014.
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How big is Latvia compared to Botswana? See an in-depth size comparison.

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