Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 15.5 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022. In Iceland, that number is 84 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

be 4.1 times more likely to be obese

In Laos, 5.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Iceland, that number is 21.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 7.0 times more money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $7,900 as of 2022, while in Iceland, the GDP per capita is $55,600 as of 2022.

be 51.9% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Iceland, however, that number is 8.8% as of 2017.

pay a 92.9% higher top tax rate

Laos has a top tax rate of 24.0% as of 2016. In Iceland, the top tax rate is 46.3% as of 2016.

Life

be 97.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Iceland, 3.0 women do as of 2020.

be 95.6% 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 Iceland, on the other hand, 1.6 children do as of 2022.

have 36.4% fewer children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Iceland, there are 12.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 61.3% more likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Iceland, about 100.0% do as of 2021.

be 12.6% 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 Iceland, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 3.3 times more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Iceland spends 7.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 3.6 times more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Iceland, that number is 9.6% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Directorate of Internal Revenue.

Iceland: At a glance

Iceland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 100,250 sq km. Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but Iceland was especially hard hit by the global financial crisis in the years following 2008. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first rate by world standards.
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How big is Iceland compared to Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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