Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 7.1 years longer

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

be 3.1 times more likely to be obese

In Laos, 5.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Uzbekistan, that number is 16.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 23.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Uzbekistan, however, that number is 14.0% as of 2016.

be 3.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 1.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Uzbekistan, that number is 4.5% as of 2023.

Life

be 76.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Uzbekistan, 30.0 women do as of 2020.

be 14.8% more likely to be literate

In Laos, the literacy rate is 87.1% as of 2021. In Uzbekistan, it is 100.0% as of 2019.

be 49.8% 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 Uzbekistan, on the other hand, 19.0 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 10.1% 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 Uzbekistan, that number is 98% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2020.

be 19.2% less likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Uzbekistan, about 50.1% do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 2.1 times more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Uzbekistan spends 4.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 2.5 times more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Uzbekistan, that number is 6.8% of GDP as of 2020.

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

Uzbekistan: At a glance

Uzbekistan is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 425,400 sq km. Russia conquered the territory of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country has lessened its dependence on the cotton monoculture by diversifying agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base. However, longserving septuagenarian President Islom KARIMOV, who rose through the ranks of the Soviet-era State Planning Committee (Gosplan), remains wedded to the concepts of a command economy, creating a challenging environment for foreign investment. Current concerns include post-KARIMOV succession, terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.
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