Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 4.5 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Uruguay, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2022.

be 5.9 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Uruguay, that number is 27.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 31.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Uruguay, however, that number is 9.9% as of 2022.

pay a 21.1% lower top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Uruguay, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

make 39.3% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Uruguay, the GDP per capita is $30,700 as of 2023.

be 3.2 times more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Uruguay, that number is 8.3% as of 2023.

Life

have 82.1% more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Uruguay, there are 12.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 2.4 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 Uruguay, 19.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.9 times 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 Uruguay, on the other hand, 8.3 children do as of 2022.

Geography

see 72.6% less coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Uruguay, that number is 660 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Dirección General Impositiva, The World Factbook, National Tax Service, South Korea.

Uruguay: At a glance

Uruguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 175,015 sq km. Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
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How big is Uruguay compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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