Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Sweden instead of United Kingdom, you would:

Health

be 25.9% less likely to be obese

In United Kingdom, 27.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Sweden, that number is 20.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 18.7% more money

United Kingdom has a GDP per capita of $54,100 as of 2023, while in Sweden, the GDP per capita is $64,200 as of 2023.

be 13.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In United Kingdom, 18.6% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Sweden, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2022.

be 86.9% more likely to be unemployed

In United Kingdom, 4.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Sweden, that number is 7.6% as of 2023.

pay a 26.9% higher top tax rate

United Kingdom has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2016. In Sweden, the top tax rate is 57.1% as of 2016.

Life

be 50.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In United Kingdom, approximately 10.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Sweden, 5.0 women do as of 2020.

be 39.8% less likely to die during infancy

In United Kingdom, approximately 3.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Sweden, on the other hand, 2.3 children do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 30.9% more on education

United Kingdom spends 5.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Sweden spends 7.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

Geography

see 74.1% less coastline

United Kingdom has a total of 12,429 km of coastline. In Sweden, that number is 3,218 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Skatteverket, HM Revenue & Customs.

Sweden: At a glance

Sweden is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 410,335 sq km. A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both world wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
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How big is Sweden compared to United Kingdom? See an in-depth size comparison.

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