Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 14.5 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022. In Sweden, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.9 times more likely to be obese

In Laos, 5.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Sweden, that number is 20.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 7.6 times more money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $8,400 as of 2023, while in Sweden, the GDP per capita is $64,200 as of 2023.

be 12.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Sweden, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2022.

be 6.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 1.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Sweden, that number is 7.6% as of 2023.

pay a 2.4 times higher top tax rate

Laos has a top tax rate of 24.0% as of 2016. In Sweden, the top tax rate is 57.1% as of 2016.

Life

be 96.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Sweden, 5.0 women do as of 2020.

be 93.9% 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 Sweden, on the other hand, 2.3 children do as of 2022.

have 46.0% fewer children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Sweden, there are 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 41.9% more likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Sweden, about 88.0% do as of 2021.

be 12.4% 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 Sweden, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 3.1 times more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Sweden spends 7.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 4.2 times more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Sweden, that number is 11.4% of GDP as of 2020.

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

Sweden: At a glance

Sweden is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 410,335 sq km. A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both world wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
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How big is Sweden compared to Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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