If you lived in Uruguay instead of Iran, you would:

Health

see 2.9 times more spent on your healthcare

Iran spends $1,064 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Uruguay spends $3,135 as of 2023.

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have 2.6 times more doctors per person

Iran has 18.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Uruguay has 46.7 as of 2022.

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have 10.8% more access to essential health services

Iran scores 74 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Uruguay scores 82 as of 2021.

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be 42.3% more likely to be obese

In Iran, 24.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Uruguay, that number is 35.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 6.1 times more likely to die by suicide

Iran has a suicide rate of 4.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Uruguay, it is 24.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 6.4 times more money

Iran has a GDP per capita of $3,924 as of 2025, while in Uruguay, the GDP per capita is $25,216 as of 2025.

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Life

be 11.2% more likely to be literate

In Iran, the literacy rate is 88.9% as of 2023. In Uruguay, it is 98.9% as of 2024.

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be 39.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Iran, approximately 10.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Uruguay, on the other hand, 6.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 22.0% fewer children

In Iran, there are approximately 12.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Uruguay, there are 9.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 68.8% more on education

Iran spends 2.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Uruguay spends 4.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 49.6% more on healthcare

Iran spends 6.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Uruguay, that number is 9.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 73.0% less coastline

Iran has a total of 2,440 km of coastline. In Uruguay, that number is 660 km.

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Safety

be 36.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Iran, road accidents kill 20.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Uruguay, they kill 13.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 2.7 times more home broadband

Iran has 12.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Uruguay has 33.0 as of 2024.

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live with 85.2% less strain on fresh water

Iran withdraws 81% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Uruguay withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 68.6% less likely to die from air pollution

In Iran, air pollution causes 51.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Uruguay, it causes 16.0 as of 2019.

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emit 71.6% less CO2

Iran emits 9.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Uruguay emits 2.6 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

Uruguay: At a glance

Uruguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 175,015 sq km. Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
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