Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Hungary instead of North Korea, you would:

Health

live 5.4 years longer

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 72 years (68 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Hungary, that number is 77 years (74 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.9 times more likely to be obese

In North Korea, 6.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Hungary, that number is 26.4% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 23.9 times more money

North Korea has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2015, while in Hungary, the GDP per capita is $40,600 as of 2023.

be 37.7% more likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Hungary, that number is 4.1% as of 2023.

Life

be 86.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In North Korea, approximately 107.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Hungary, 15.0 women do as of 2020.

be 79.2% less likely to die during infancy

In North Korea, approximately 22.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Hungary, on the other hand, 4.6 children do as of 2022.

have 31.1% fewer children

In North Korea, there are approximately 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Hungary, there are 9.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 82.8% more likely to have access to electricity

In North Korea, approximately 55% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Hungary, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

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

Hungary: At a glance

Hungary is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 89,608 sq km. Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in Europe. The kingdom eventually became part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and an announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU five years later. In 2011, Hungary assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the EU for the first time.
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How big is Hungary compared to North Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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