Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Latvia instead of South Korea, you would:

Health

live 7.1 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 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 5.0 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Latvia, that number is 23.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

pay a 39.5% lower top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Latvia, the top tax rate is 23.0% as of 2016.

make 25.3% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $37,800 as of 2023.

be 2.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Latvia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.

be 56.2% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Latvia, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

Life

have 19.9% more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Latvia, there are 8.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 2.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Korea, approximately 8.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Latvia, 18.0 women do as of 2020.

be 69.0% more likely to die during infancy

In South Korea, approximately 2.9 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.

Expenditures

spend 10.7% less on healthcare

South Korea spends 8.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Latvia, that number is 7.5% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 27.7% more on education

South Korea spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Latvia spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

Geography

see 79.4% less coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Latvia, that number is 498 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: State Revenue Service, Latvia, The World Factbook, National Tax Service, South Korea.

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 South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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