Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Latvia instead of Rwanda, you would:

Health

be 88.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Rwanda, 2.5% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Latvia, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2019.

live 10.1 years longer

In Rwanda, the average life expectancy is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022. In Latvia, that number is 76 years (71 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022.

be 4.1 times more likely to be obese

In Rwanda, 5.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Latvia, that number is 23.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 12.6 times more money

Rwanda has a GDP per capita of $3,000 as of 2023, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $37,800 as of 2023.

be 56.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Rwanda, 14.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Latvia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.

be 41.1% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Rwanda, 38.2% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Latvia, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

pay a 23.3% lower top tax rate

Rwanda has a top tax rate of 30.0% as of 2016. In Latvia, the top tax rate is 23.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 93.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Rwanda, approximately 259.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Latvia, 18.0 women do as of 2020.

be 31.6% more likely to be literate

In Rwanda, the literacy rate is 75.9% as of 2021. In Latvia, it is 99.9% as of 2021.

be 81.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Rwanda, approximately 26.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Latvia, on the other hand, 4.8 children do as of 2022.

have 68.6% fewer children

In Rwanda, there are approximately 26.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Latvia, there are 8.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 97.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In Rwanda, approximately 51% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Latvia, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 3.0 times more likely to have internet access

In Rwanda, approximately 30.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Latvia, about 89.8% do as of 2022.

be 20.3% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Rwanda, approximately 83% of people have improved drinking water access (92% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Latvia, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 57.9% more on education

Rwanda spends 3.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Latvia spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: State Revenue Service, Latvia, The World Factbook, Rwanda Revenue Authority.

Latvia: At a glance

Latvia is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 62,249 sq km. The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 28% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the eurozone in 2014.
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How big is Latvia compared to Rwanda? See an in-depth size comparison.

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