Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 15.1 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022. In Switzerland, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.7 times more likely to be obese

In Laos, 5.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Switzerland, that number is 19.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 9.9 times more money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $8,400 as of 2023, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $82,900 as of 2023.

be 19.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Switzerland, however, that number is 14.7% as of 2020.

be 3.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 1.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Switzerland, that number is 4.0% as of 2023.

pay a 66.7% higher top tax rate

Laos has a top tax rate of 24.0% as of 2016. In Switzerland, the top tax rate is 40.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 94.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Switzerland, 7.0 women do as of 2020.

be 90.5% 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 Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.6 children do as of 2022.

have 49.0% fewer children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Switzerland, there are 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 54.8% more likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Switzerland, about 96.0% 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 Switzerland, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 2.3 times more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Switzerland spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 4.4 times more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Switzerland, that number is 11.8% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Swiss Federal Tax Administration.

Switzerland: At a glance

Switzerland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 39,997 sq km. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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How big is Switzerland compared to Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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