Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Belize instead of Laos, you would:

Health

live 7.7 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022. In Belize, that number is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

be 4.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Laos, 0.3% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Belize, that number is 1.2% of people as of 2020.

be 4.5 times more likely to be obese

In Laos, 5.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Belize, that number is 24.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 20.3% more money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $7,900 as of 2022, while in Belize, the GDP per capita is $9,500 as of 2022.

be 2.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 3.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Belize, that number is 8.7% as of 2022.

be 2.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Belize, however, that number is 41.0% as of 2013.

Life

be 70.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Laos, approximately 37.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Belize, on the other hand, 11.2 children do as of 2022.

have 10.6% fewer children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Belize, there are 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 12.3% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Laos, approximately 89% of people have improved drinking water access (97% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Belize, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 3.8 times more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Belize spends 8.7% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 2.6 times more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Belize, that number is 6.9% of GDP as of 2020.

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

Belize: At a glance

Belize is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 22,806 sq km. Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the country's heavy foreign debt burden, high unemployment, growing involvement in the Mexican and South American drug trade, high crime rates, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America.
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How big is Belize compared to Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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