Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Uruguay instead of Iceland, you would:

Health

live 5.2 years less

In Iceland, the average life expectancy is 84 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Uruguay, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2022.

be 27.4% more likely to be obese

In Iceland, 21.9% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Uruguay, that number is 27.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

pay a 35.2% lower top tax rate

Iceland has a top tax rate of 46.3% as of 2016. In Uruguay, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

make 53.8% less money

Iceland has a GDP per capita of $66,500 as of 2023, while in Uruguay, the GDP per capita is $30,700 as of 2023.

be 2.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Iceland, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Uruguay, that number is 8.3% as of 2023.

be 12.5% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Iceland, 8.8% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Uruguay, however, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.

Life

be 6.3 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Iceland, approximately 3.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Uruguay, 19.0 women do as of 2020.

be 5.0 times more likely to die during infancy

In Iceland, approximately 1.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Uruguay, on the other hand, 8.3 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 10.0% less likely to have internet access

In Iceland, approximately 100.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Uruguay, about 90.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 40.3% less on education

Iceland spends 7.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Uruguay spends 4.6% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

Geography

see 86.7% less coastline

Iceland has a total of 4,970 km of coastline. In Uruguay, that number is 660 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Dirección General Impositiva, Directorate of Internal Revenue.

Uruguay: At a glance

Uruguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 175,015 sq km. Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
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How big is Uruguay compared to Iceland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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