If you lived in Romania instead of Kenya, you would:

Health

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

In Kenya, 3.0% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Romania, that number is 0.2% of people as of 2024.

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live 12.6 years longer

In Kenya, the average life expectancy is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024. In Romania, that number is 76 years (73 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 9.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Kenya spends $274 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Romania spends $2,614 as of 2023.

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have 12.5 times more doctors per person

Kenya has 2.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Romania has 36.2 as of 2022.

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have 47.2% more access to essential health services

Kenya scores 53 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Romania scores 78 as of 2021.

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be 2.9 times more likely to be obese

In Kenya, 11.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Romania, that number is 32.4% of people as of 2024.

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be 2.1 times more likely to die by suicide

Kenya has a suicide rate of 4.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Romania, it is 9.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 53.8% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Kenya, 39.8% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Romania, however, that number is 18.4% as of 2024.

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make 9.5 times more money

Kenya has a GDP per capita of $2,363 as of 2025, while in Romania, the GDP per capita is $22,538 as of 2025.

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Life

be 91.9% less likely to die during childbirth

In Kenya, approximately 149.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Romania, 12.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 20.0% more likely to be literate

In Kenya, the literacy rate is 82.6% as of 2021. In Romania, it is 99.2% as of 2021.

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be 82.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Kenya, approximately 34.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Romania, on the other hand, 6.0 children do as of 2024.

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have 72.2% fewer children

In Kenya, there are approximately 27.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Romania, there are 7.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 31.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Kenya, approximately 76% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 68% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Romania, 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 2.6 times more likely to have internet access

In Kenya, approximately 35.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Romania, about 91.3% do as of 2024.

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be 52.4% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Kenya, approximately 66% of people have access to drinking water (89% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Romania, 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 18.4% less on education

Kenya spends 4.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Romania spends 3.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 31.3% more on healthcare

Kenya spends 4.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Romania, that number is 5.7% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 58.0% less coastline

Kenya has a total of 536 km of coastline. In Romania, that number is 225 km.

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Safety

be 77.2% less likely to be murdered

Kenya has a homicide rate of 4.9 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Romania, that number is 1.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 66.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Kenya, road accidents kill 28.2 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Romania, they kill 9.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 11.8 times more home broadband

Kenya has 3.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Romania has 35.8 as of 2024.

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live with 77.0% less strain on fresh water

Kenya withdraws 33% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Romania withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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use 13.2 times more electricity

Kenya uses 195 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Romania uses 2,585 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 39.4% more likely to die from air pollution

In Kenya, air pollution causes 33.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Romania, it causes 46.0 as of 2019.

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emit 9.8 times more CO2

Kenya emits 0.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Romania emits 3.7 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Romania: At a glance

Romania is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 229,891 sq km. The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they were de facto linked in 1859 and formally united in 1862 under the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
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