If you lived in Bhutan instead of Albania, you would:

Health

be 45.8% less likely to be obese

In Albania, 24.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Bhutan, that number is 13.1% of people as of 2024.

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live 6.5 years less

In Albania, the average life expectancy is 80 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2024. In Bhutan, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 75 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 53.8% less spent on your healthcare

Albania spends $1,465 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Bhutan spends $677 as of 2023.

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have 70.6% fewer doctors per person

Albania has 18.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2020. Bhutan has 5.5 as of 2022.

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be 78.2% more likely to die by suicide

Albania has a suicide rate of 2.8 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Bhutan, it is 4.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 70.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Albania, 10.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Bhutan, that number is 3.2% as of 2025.

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be 37.1% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Albania, 19.7% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Bhutan, however, that number is 12.4% as of 2022.

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make 65.4% less money

Albania has a GDP per capita of $12,998 as of 2025, while in Bhutan, the GDP per capita is $4,493 as of 2025.

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Life

have 23.7% more children

In Albania, there are approximately 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Bhutan, there are 12.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 6.7 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Albania, approximately 7.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Bhutan, 47.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 33.5% less likely to be literate

In Albania, the literacy rate is 97.7% as of 2023. In Bhutan, it is 64.9% as of 2022.

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be 65.1% more likely to die during infancy

In Albania, approximately 8.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Bhutan, on the other hand, 13.7 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 37.3% less on healthcare

Albania spends 7.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Bhutan, that number is 4.4% of GDP as of 2023.

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spend 89.3% more on education

Albania spends 3.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Bhutan spends 5.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Safety

be 77.7% more likely to be murdered

Albania has a homicide rate of 1.4 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Bhutan, that number is 2.5 per 100,000 as of 2020.

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be 13.0% more likely to die in a road accident

In Albania, road accidents kill 10.8 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Bhutan, they kill 12.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 70.6% less strain on fresh water

Albania withdraws 5% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Bhutan withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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find 88.3% less home broadband

Albania has 24.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Bhutan has 2.9 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 12.3% more CO2

Albania emits 1.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Bhutan emits 2.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Bhutan: At a glance

Bhutan is a sovereign country in South Asia, with a total land area of approximately 38,394 sq km. In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs, and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned to Bhutan the areas annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which introduced major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty, eliminating the clause that stated that Bhutan would be "guided by" India in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate closely with New Delhi. Elections for seating the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008; the king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008. Bhutan experienced a peaceful turnover of power following parliamentary elections in 2013, which routed the incumbent party. The disposition of some 30,000 Bhutanese refugees - housed in two UN refugee camps in Nepal - remains unresolved.
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