Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 3.7 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022. In Turkmenistan, that number is 72 years (69 years for men, 75 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.5 times more likely to be obese

In Laos, 5.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Turkmenistan, that number is 18.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 86.1% more money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $7,900 as of 2022, while in Turkmenistan, the GDP per capita is $14,700 as of 2022.

be 98.9% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Turkmenistan, however, that number is 0.2% as of 2012.

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 Turkmenistan, 5.0 women do as of 2020.

be 14.5% more likely to be literate

In Laos, the literacy rate is 87.1% as of 2021. In Turkmenistan, it is 99.7% as of 2015.

have 15.2% fewer children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, there are 16.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

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

be 59.2% less likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Turkmenistan, about 25.3% do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 34.8% more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Turkmenistan spends 3.1% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

spend 2.1 times more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Turkmenistan, that number is 5.7% of GDP as of 2020.

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

Turkmenistan: At a glance

Turkmenistan is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 469,930 sq km. Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim crusaders, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times Merv (today known as Mary) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited, have begun to transform the country. Turkmenistan is moving to expand its extraction and delivery projects. The Government of Turkmenistan is actively working to diversify its gas export routes beyond the still important Russian pipeline network. In 2010, new gas export pipelines that carry Turkmen gas to China and to northern Iran began operating, effectively ending the Russian monopoly on Turkmen gas exports. President for Life Saparmurat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy cabinet chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president; he was chosen as president again in February 2012, in an election that the OSCE said lacked the freedoms necessary to create a competitive environment.
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