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

Health

live 5.3 years longer

In Libya, the average life expectancy is 71 years (70 years for men, 73 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 2.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Libya spends $1,055 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Romania spends $2,614 as of 2023.

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have 25.8% more access to essential health services

Libya scores 62 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Romania scores 78 as of 2021.

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be 92.4% more likely to die by suicide

Libya has a suicide rate of 5.0 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 68.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Libya, 18.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Romania, that number is 6.0% as of 2025.

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make 3.5 times more money

Libya has a GDP per capita of $6,449 as of 2025, while in Romania, the GDP per capita is $22,538 as of 2025.

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Life

be 79.7% 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 Romania, 12.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 24.1% 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 Romania, on the other hand, 6.0 children do as of 2024.

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have 54.5% fewer children

In Libya, there are approximately 16.5 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 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 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 11.4% more likely to have internet access

In Libya, approximately 82.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Romania, about 91.3% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 26.9% less on healthcare

Libya spends 7.8% 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 87.3% less coastline

Libya has a total of 1,770 km of coastline. In Romania, that number is 225 km.

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Safety

be 71.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Libya, road accidents kill 34.0 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 7.9 times more home broadband

Libya has 4.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Romania has 35.8 as of 2024.

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live with 99.1% less strain on fresh water

Libya withdraws 817% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Romania withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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use 31.9% less electricity

Libya uses 3,796 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Romania uses 2,585 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 14.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Libya, air pollution causes 54.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Romania, it causes 46.0 as of 2019.

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emit 57.0% less CO2

Libya emits 8.7 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. 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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