Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 9.0 years longer

In Syria, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Switzerland, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

be 29.9% less likely to be obese

In Syria, 27.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Switzerland, that number is 19.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 24.9 times more money

Syria has a GDP per capita of $2,900 as of 2015, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $72,300 as of 2022.

be 68.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Syria, 13.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Switzerland, that number is 4.3% as of 2022.

be 82.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Syria, 82.5% live below the poverty line as of 2014. In Switzerland, however, that number is 14.7% as of 2020.

pay a 81.8% higher top tax rate

Syria has a top tax rate of 22.0% as of 2016. In Switzerland, the top tax rate is 40.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 76.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Syria, approximately 30.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Switzerland, 7.0 women do as of 2020.

be 77.4% 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 Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.6 children do as of 2022.

have 53.5% fewer children

In Syria, there are approximately 21.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Switzerland, there are 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 12.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In Syria, approximately 89% of the population has electricity access as of 2021. In Switzerland, 100% of the population do as of 2021.

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 Switzerland, about 96.0% do as of 2021.

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

Switzerland: At a glance

Switzerland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 39,997 sq km. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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How big is Switzerland compared to Syria? See an in-depth size comparison.

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