If you lived in Norway instead of Ghana, you would:

Health

be 93.3% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Ghana, 1.5% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Norway, that number is 0.1% of people as of 2024.

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live 17.5 years longer

In Ghana, the average life expectancy is 66 years (63 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Norway, that number is 83 years (82 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 40.6 times more spent on your healthcare

Ghana spends $234 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Norway spends $9,523 as of 2023.

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have 18.7 times more doctors per person

Ghana has 2.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Norway has 49.8 as of 2023.

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have 81.2% more access to essential health services

Ghana scores 48 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Norway scores 87 as of 2021.

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be 38.8% more likely to be obese

In Ghana, 14.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Norway, that number is 20.2% of people as of 2024.

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be 2.5 times more likely to die by suicide

Ghana has a suicide rate of 5.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Norway, it is 13.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 29.0 times more money

Ghana has a GDP per capita of $3,257 as of 2025, while in Norway, the GDP per capita is $94,594 as of 2025.

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be 55.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Ghana, 3.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Norway, that number is 4.6% as of 2025.

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Life

be 99.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Ghana, approximately 234.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Norway, 1.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 92.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Ghana, approximately 27.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Norway, on the other hand, 2.0 children do as of 2024.

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have 62.6% fewer children

In Ghana, there are approximately 25.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Norway, there are 9.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 11.7% more likely to have access to electricity

In Ghana, approximately 90% of people have electricity access (98% in urban areas, and 78% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Norway, 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 37.2% more likely to have internet access

In Ghana, approximately 72.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Norway, about 99.0% do as of 2024.

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be 11.2% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Ghana, approximately 90% of people have access to drinking water (99% in urban areas, and 76% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Norway, 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 86.6% more on education

Ghana spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Norway spends 5.4% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 3.2 times more on healthcare

Ghana spends 3.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Norway, that number is 9.4% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 46.7 times more coastline

Ghana has a total of 539 km of coastline. In Norway, that number is 25,148 km.

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Safety

be 60.7% less likely to be murdered

Ghana has a homicide rate of 1.8 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Norway, that number is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 94.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Ghana, road accidents kill 25.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Norway, they kill 1.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 68.4 times more home broadband

Ghana has 0.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Norway has 45.2 as of 2024.

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live with 67.7% less strain on fresh water

Ghana withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Norway withdraws 2% as of 2022.

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use 41.9 times more electricity

Ghana uses 565 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Norway uses 23,673 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 91.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Ghana, air pollution causes 89.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Norway, it causes 8.0 as of 2019.

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emit 10.3 times more CO2

Ghana emits 0.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Norway emits 7.2 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. How we calculate this

Norway: At a glance

Norway is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 304,282 sq km. Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness.
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