Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Norway instead of Syria, you would:

Health

live 8.3 years longer

In Syria, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Norway, that number is 83 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

be 16.9% less likely to be obese

In Syria, 27.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Norway, that number is 23.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 31.2 times more money

Syria has a GDP per capita of $2,900 as of 2021, while in Norway, the GDP per capita is $90,500 as of 2023.

be 73.6% less likely to be unemployed

In Syria, 13.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Norway, that number is 3.6% as of 2023.

be 85.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Syria, 82.5% live below the poverty line as of 2014. In Norway, however, that number is 12.2% as of 2021.

pay a 75.1% higher top tax rate

Syria has a top tax rate of 22.0% as of 2016. In Norway, the top tax rate is 38.5% as of 2017.

Life

be 93.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Syria, approximately 30.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Norway, 2.0 women do as of 2020.

be 85.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Syria, approximately 15.9 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 52.1% fewer children

In Syria, there are approximately 21.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Norway, there are 10.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 12.4% more likely to have access to electricity

In Syria, approximately 89% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Norway, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 2.1 times more likely to have internet access

In Syria, approximately 46.6% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Norway, about 99.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 15.7% more on education

Syria spends 5.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2009. Norway spends 5.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

Geography

see 130.3 times more coastline

Syria has a total of 193 km of coastline. In Norway, that number is 25,148 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Syria, Norwegian Tax Administration.

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 Syria? See an in-depth size comparison.

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