Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Sweden instead of France, you would:

Economy

make 20.7% more money

France has a GDP per capita of $42,000 as of 2020, while in Sweden, the GDP per capita is $50,700 as of 2020.

be 16.5% less likely to be unemployed

In France, 8.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2019. In Sweden, that number is 6.8% as of 2019.

be 25.7% more likely to live below the poverty line

In France, 13.6% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Sweden, however, that number is 17.1% as of 2018.

pay a 13.7% higher top tax rate

France has a top tax rate of 50.2% 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 France, approximately 8.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Sweden, 4.0 women do as of 2017.

be 27.0% less likely to die during infancy

In France, approximately 3.1 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.

Basic Needs

be 11.8% more likely to have internet access

In France, approximately 85.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Sweden, about 95.0% do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 40.7% more on education

France spends 5.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2018. Sweden spends 7.6% of total GDP on education as of 2018.

Geography

see 33.7% less coastline

France has a total of 4,853 km of coastline. In Sweden, that number is 3,218 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, Skatteverket.

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 France? See an in-depth size comparison.

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