If you lived in Portugal instead of Libya, you would:

Health

live 11.3 years longer

In Libya, the average life expectancy is 71 years (70 years for men, 73 years for women) as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 82 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 46.3% less likely to be obese

In Libya, 33.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 18.1% of people as of 2024.

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see 4.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Libya spends $1,055 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Portugal spends $4,928 as of 2024.

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have 41.9% more access to essential health services

Libya scores 62 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Portugal scores 88 as of 2021.

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be 2.3 times more likely to die by suicide

Libya has a suicide rate of 5.0 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Portugal, it is 11.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 67.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Libya, 18.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Portugal, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

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make 5.0 times more money

Libya has a GDP per capita of $6,449 as of 2025, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $32,082 as of 2025.

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Life

be 74.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Libya, approximately 59.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Portugal, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 65.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Libya, approximately 7.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Portugal, on the other hand, 2.7 children do as of 2024.

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have 52.1% fewer children

In Libya, there are approximately 16.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Portugal, there are 7.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 36.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In Libya, approximately 73% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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Expenditures

spend 31.1% more on healthcare

Libya spends 7.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 10.2% of GDP as of 2024.

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Safety

be 78.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Libya, road accidents kill 34.0 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Portugal, they kill 7.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 10.0 times more home broadband

Libya has 4.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Portugal has 45.2 as of 2024.

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live with 98.5% less strain on fresh water

Libya withdraws 817% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Portugal withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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use 39.5% more electricity

Libya uses 3,796 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Portugal uses 5,294 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 81.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Libya, air pollution causes 54.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Portugal, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 61.7% less CO2

Libya emits 8.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Portugal emits 3.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Portugal: At a glance

Portugal is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 91,470 sq km. Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
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How big is Portugal compared to Libya? See an in-depth size comparison.

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