If you lived in Portugal instead of Ethiopia, you would:

Health

live 14.8 years longer

In Ethiopia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (64 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 82 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 57.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Ethiopia spends $86 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Portugal spends $4,928 as of 2024.

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have 40.9 times more doctors per person

Ethiopia has 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Portugal has 58.5 as of 2022.

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have 2.5 times more access to essential health services

Ethiopia scores 35 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Portugal scores 88 as of 2021.

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be 6.2 times more likely to be obese

In Ethiopia, 2.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 18.1% of people as of 2024.

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be 89.8% more likely to die by suicide

Ethiopia has a suicide rate of 6.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Portugal, it is 11.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 50.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Ethiopia, 33.1% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Portugal, however, that number is 16.4% as of 2021.

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make 34.4 times more money

Ethiopia has a GDP per capita of $933 as of 2025, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $32,082 as of 2025.

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be 85.5% more likely to be unemployed

In Ethiopia, 3.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Portugal, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

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Life

be 92.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Ethiopia, approximately 195.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Portugal, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 58.6% more likely to be literate

In Ethiopia, the literacy rate is 60.5% as of 2022. In Portugal, it is 95.9% as of 2021.

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be 92.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Ethiopia, approximately 34.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Portugal, on the other hand, 2.7 children do as of 2024.

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have 74.9% fewer children

In Ethiopia, there are approximately 31.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Portugal, there are 7.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 80.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In Ethiopia, approximately 55% of people have electricity access (95% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Portugal, 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 4.0 times more likely to have internet access

In Ethiopia, approximately 21.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Portugal, about 88.5% do as of 2024.

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be 78.6% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Ethiopia, approximately 56% of people have access to drinking water (83% in urban areas, and 47% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 99% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 97.8% more on education

Ethiopia spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Portugal spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 3.7 times more on healthcare

Ethiopia spends 2.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 10.2% of GDP as of 2024.

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Safety

be 59.3% less likely to die in a road accident

In Ethiopia, road accidents kill 17.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Portugal, they kill 7.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 76.7 times more home broadband

Ethiopia has 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Portugal has 45.2 as of 2024.

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live with 61.8% less strain on fresh water

Ethiopia withdraws 32% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Portugal withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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use 47.0 times more electricity

Ethiopia uses 113 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Portugal uses 5,294 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 78.3% less likely to die from air pollution

In Ethiopia, air pollution causes 46.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Portugal, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 22.1 times more CO2

Ethiopia emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Portugal emits 3.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Portugal: At a glance

Portugal is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 91,470 sq km. Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
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