Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 15.0 years longer

In Ethiopia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 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 4.3 times more likely to be obese

In Ethiopia, 4.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Switzerland, that number is 19.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 29.6 times more money

Ethiopia has a GDP per capita of $2,800 as of 2023, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $82,900 as of 2023.

be 37.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Ethiopia, 23.5% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Switzerland, however, that number is 14.7% as of 2020.

be 15.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Ethiopia, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Switzerland, that number is 4.0% as of 2023.

pay a 14.3% higher top tax rate

Ethiopia 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 97.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Ethiopia, approximately 267.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Switzerland, 7.0 women do as of 2020.

be 89.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Ethiopia, approximately 33.5 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 65.9% fewer children

In Ethiopia, there are approximately 29.6 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 81.8% more likely to have access to electricity

In Ethiopia, approximately 55% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Switzerland, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 5.6 times more likely to have internet access

In Ethiopia, approximately 17.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Switzerland, about 96.0% do as of 2021.

be 30.9% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Ethiopia, approximately 76% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 70% 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 15.6% more on education

Ethiopia spends 4.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Switzerland spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 3.4 times more on healthcare

Ethiopia spends 3.5% 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, Swiss Federal Tax Administration, Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority.

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 Ethiopia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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