Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 4.9 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Norway, that number is 23.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 78.9% more money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Norway, the GDP per capita is $90,500 as of 2023.

be 15.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Norway, however, that number is 12.2% as of 2021.

be 35.6% more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Norway, that number is 3.6% as of 2023.

Life

be 75.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In South Korea, approximately 8.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Norway, 2.0 women do as of 2020.

be 19.5% less 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 Norway, on the other hand, 2.3 children do as of 2022.

have 50.3% more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Norway, there are 10.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Expenditures

spend 25.5% more on education

South Korea spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Norway spends 5.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 35.7% more on healthcare

South Korea spends 8.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Norway, that number is 11.4% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 10.4 times more coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Norway, that number is 25,148 km.

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

Norway: At a glance

Norway is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 304,282 sq km. Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness.
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How big is Norway compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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