Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 7.8 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 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 4.5 times more likely to be obese

In Laos, 5.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Latvia, that number is 23.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 4.5 times more money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $8,400 as of 2023, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $37,800 as of 2023.

be 5.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 1.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Latvia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.

be 23.0% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Latvia, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

Life

be 85.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Latvia, 18.0 women do as of 2020.

be 14.7% more likely to be literate

In Laos, the literacy rate is 87.1% as of 2021. In Latvia, it is 99.9% as of 2021.

be 87.2% 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 Latvia, on the other hand, 4.8 children do as of 2022.

have 58.1% fewer children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Latvia, there are 8.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 44.8% more likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Latvia, about 89.8% do as of 2022.

be 12.0% 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 Latvia, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 2.6 times more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Latvia spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 2.8 times more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Latvia, that number is 7.5% of GDP as of 2020.

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

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 Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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