If you lived in Finland instead of Afghanistan, you would:

Health

live 16.0 years longer

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Finland, that number is 82 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 19.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Afghanistan spends $330 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Finland spends $6,433 as of 2023.

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have 11.4 times more doctors per person

Afghanistan has 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Finland has 36.1 as of 2021.

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have 2.1 times more access to essential health services

Afghanistan scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Finland scores 86 as of 2021.

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be 17.6% more likely to be obese

In Afghanistan, 20.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Finland, that number is 24.2% of people as of 2024.

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be 4.0 times more likely to die by suicide

Afghanistan has a suicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Finland, it is 14.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 29.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 13.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Finland, that number is 9.5% as of 2025.

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be 74.1% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Afghanistan, 47.1% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Finland, however, that number is 12.2% as of 2022.

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make 134.7 times more money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $417 as of 2024, while in Finland, the GDP per capita is $56,149 as of 2025.

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Life

be 98.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Afghanistan, approximately 521.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Finland, 8.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 96.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 48.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Finland, on the other hand, 1.9 children do as of 2024.

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have 77.7% fewer children

In Afghanistan, there are approximately 35.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Finland, there are 7.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 17.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Afghanistan, approximately 85% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Finland, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 5.8 times more likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 16.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Finland, about 93.7% do as of 2024.

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be 23.7% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Afghanistan, approximately 81% of people have access to drinking water (97% in urban areas, and 75% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Finland, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 30.2% less on healthcare

Afghanistan spends 15.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Finland, that number is 10.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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spend 2.2 times more on education

Afghanistan spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Finland spends 6.4% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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Safety

be 75.7% less likely to be murdered

Afghanistan has a homicide rate of 4.0 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Finland, that number is 1.0 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 82.6% less likely to die in a road accident

In Afghanistan, road accidents kill 24.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Finland, they kill 4.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 456.0 times more home broadband

Afghanistan has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Finland has 36.5 as of 2024.

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live with 87.0% less strain on fresh water

Afghanistan withdraws 55% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Finland withdraws 7% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 95.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Afghanistan, air pollution causes 143.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Finland, it causes 7.0 as of 2019.

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emit 19.8 times more CO2

Afghanistan emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Finland emits 5.5 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this

Finland: At a glance

Finland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 303,815 sq km. Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It gained complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it successfully defended its independence through cooperation with Germany and resisted subsequent invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, Finland transformed from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro single currency at its initiation in January 1999. In the 21st century, the key features of Finland's modern welfare state are high quality education, promotion of equality, and a national social welfare system - currently challenged by an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy.
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