If you lived in Switzerland instead of Greenland, you would:

Health

live 14.1 years longer

In Greenland, the average life expectancy is 70 years (68 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Switzerland, that number is 84 years (83 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 59.8% less likely to be obese

In Greenland, 28.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Switzerland, that number is 11.3% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 96.2% more money

Greenland has a GDP per capita of $58,499 as of 2023, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $114,769 as of 2025.

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Life

be 61.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Greenland, approximately 8.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.4 children do as of 2024.

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have 27.5% fewer children

In Greenland, there are approximately 12.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Switzerland, there are 8.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 52.4% less on education

Greenland spends 10.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Switzerland spends 4.9% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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Infrastructure

find 47.0% more home broadband

Greenland has 32.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Switzerland has 47.0 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 64.1% less CO2

Greenland emits 10.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Switzerland emits 3.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2019–2022). How we calculate this

Switzerland: At a glance

Switzerland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 39,997 sq km. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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How big is Switzerland compared to Greenland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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