If you lived in Bosnia and Herzegovina instead of France, you would:

Health

be 45.9% less likely to die by suicide

France has a suicide rate of 16.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is 9.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 4.9 years less

In France, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 87.4% more likely to be obese

In France, 11.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 21.0% of people as of 2024.

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see 71.0% less spent on your healthcare

France spends $6,868 per person on healthcare as of 2024 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Bosnia and Herzegovina spends $1,989 as of 2023.

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have 21.2% fewer doctors per person

France has 32.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Bosnia and Herzegovina has 25.8 as of 2019.

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have 22.4% less access to essential health services

France scores 85 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 46.4% more likely to be unemployed

In France, 7.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 11.0% as of 2025.

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make 78.8% less money

France has a GDP per capita of $48,986 as of 2025, while in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the GDP per capita is $10,382 as of 2025.

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Life

be 61.8% more likely to die during infancy

In France, approximately 3.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the other hand, 5.5 children do as of 2024.

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have 20.4% fewer children

In France, there are approximately 9.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are 7.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 38.9% less on education

France spends 5.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Bosnia and Herzegovina spends 3.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 22.7% less on healthcare

France spends 11.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 8.9% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 99.6% less coastline

France has a total of 4,853 km of coastline. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number is 20 km.

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Safety

be 2.9 times more likely to die in a road accident

In France, road accidents kill 4.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, they kill 13.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 90.3% less strain on fresh water

France withdraws 21% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Bosnia and Herzegovina withdraws 2% as of 2022.

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find 39.9% less home broadband

France has 48.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Bosnia and Herzegovina has 29.4 as of 2024.

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use 43.0% less electricity

France uses 6,447 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Bosnia and Herzegovina uses 3,677 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 5.5 times more likely to die from air pollution

In France, air pollution causes 10.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it causes 55.0 as of 2019.

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emit 61.3% more CO2

France emits 4.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Bosnia and Herzegovina emits 6.5 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. How we calculate this

Bosnia and Herzegovina: At a glance

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 51,187 sq km. Bosnia and Herzegovina declared sovereignty in October 1991 and independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that ended three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a multi-ethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government composed of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Bosnian Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments are responsible for overseeing most government functions. Additionally, the Dayton Accords established the Office of the High Representative (OHR) to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. The Peace Implementation Council (PIC) at its conference in Bonn in 1997 also gave the High Representative the authority to impose legislation and remove officials, the so-called "Bonn Powers." An original NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops assembled in 1995 was succeeded over time by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR). In 2004, European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR. Currently EUFOR deploys around 600 troops in theater in a policing capacity.
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