If you lived in Belarus instead of Laos, you would:

Health

live 5.2 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Belarus, that number is 74 years (70 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 17.8 times more spent on your healthcare

Laos spends $123 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Belarus spends $2,194 as of 2023.

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have 14.3 times more doctors per person

Laos has 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Belarus has 47.2 as of 2023.

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have 51.9% more access to essential health services

Laos scores 52 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Belarus scores 79 as of 2021.

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be 2.2 times more likely to be obese

In Laos, 9.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Belarus, that number is 20.6% of people as of 2024.

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be 3.4 times more likely to die by suicide

Laos has a suicide rate of 4.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Belarus, it is 15.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 76.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 15.0% live below the poverty line as of 2024. In Belarus, however, that number is 3.5% as of 2024.

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make 4.4 times more money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $2,325 as of 2025, while in Belarus, the GDP per capita is $10,279 as of 2025.

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be 2.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 1.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Belarus, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.

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Life

be 99.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 112.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Belarus, 1.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 93.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Laos, approximately 27.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Belarus, on the other hand, 1.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 66.4% fewer children

In Laos, there are approximately 20.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Belarus, there are 7.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 43.7% more likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 65.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Belarus, about 94.3% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 4.1 times more on education

Laos spends 1.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Belarus spends 5.0% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 5.3 times more on healthcare

Laos spends 1.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Belarus, that number is 7.1% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 54.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Laos, road accidents kill 16.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Belarus, they kill 7.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 13.3 times more home broadband

Laos has 2.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Belarus has 36.3 as of 2024.

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use 2.5 times more electricity

Laos uses 1,665 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Belarus uses 4,198 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 77.3% more CO2

Laos emits 3.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Belarus emits 5.9 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Belarus: At a glance

Belarus is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 202,900 sq km. After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than have any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his election in July 1994 as the country's first directly elected president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means and a centralized economic system. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place.
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How big is Belarus compared to Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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