Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 2.0 years less

In Estonia, the average life expectancy is 78 years (73 years for men, 83 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 11.3% more likely to be obese

In Estonia, 21.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Latvia, that number is 23.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 10.0% less money

Estonia has a GDP per capita of $42,000 as of 2023, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $37,800 as of 2023.

pay a 15.0% higher top tax rate

Estonia has a top tax rate of 20.0% as of 2016. In Latvia, the top tax rate is 23.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 3.6 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Estonia, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Latvia, 18.0 women do as of 2020.

be 41.8% more likely to die during infancy

In Estonia, approximately 3.4 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.

Geography

see 86.9% less coastline

Estonia has a total of 3,794 km of coastline. In Latvia, that number is 498 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Estonian Tax and Customs Board, The World Factbook, State Revenue Service, Latvia.

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 Estonia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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