Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 7.0 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022. In Samoa, that number is 75 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

be 8.9 times more likely to be obese

In Laos, 5.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Samoa, that number is 47.3% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 28.6% less money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $8,400 as of 2023, while in Samoa, the GDP per capita is $6,000 as of 2023.

be 8.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 1.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Samoa, that number is 9.8% as of 2023.

be 19.7% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Samoa, however, that number is 21.9% as of 2018.

pay a 12.5% higher top tax rate

Laos has a top tax rate of 24.0% as of 2016. In Samoa, the top tax rate is 27.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 53.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Samoa, 59.0 women do as of 2020.

be 13.8% more likely to be literate

In Laos, the literacy rate is 87.1% as of 2021. In Samoa, it is 99.1% as of 2021.

be 55.0% 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 Samoa, on the other hand, 17.0 children do as of 2020.

Basic Needs

be 25.8% more likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Samoa, about 78.0% do as of 2021.

be 10.8% 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 Samoa, that number is 98% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 2.1 times more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Samoa spends 4.8% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 96.3% more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Samoa, that number is 5.3% of GDP as of 2020.

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

Samoa: At a glance

Samoa is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 2,821 sq km. New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.
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How big is Samoa compared to Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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