If you lived in Latvia instead of Mali, you would:

Health

live 15.8 years longer

In Mali, the average life expectancy is 61 years (59 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 76 years (72 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 29.2 times more spent on your healthcare

Mali spends $104 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Latvia spends $3,034 as of 2023.

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have 18.1 times more doctors per person

Mali has 1.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Latvia has 34.0 as of 2022.

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have 82.9% more access to essential health services

Mali scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Latvia scores 75 as of 2021.

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be 67.9% more likely to be obese

In Mali, 13.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2024.

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be 3.7 times more likely to die by suicide

Mali has a suicide rate of 4.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Latvia, it is 15.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 50.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Mali, 45.5% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Latvia, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

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make 22.1 times more money

Mali has a GDP per capita of $1,193 as of 2025, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $26,312 as of 2025.

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be 2.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Mali, 2.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Latvia, that number is 6.6% as of 2025.

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Life

be 94.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In Mali, approximately 367.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Latvia, 19.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.8 times more likely to be literate

In Mali, the literacy rate is 35.6% as of 2024. In Latvia, it is 99.9% as of 2021.

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be 95.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Mali, approximately 47.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Latvia, on the other hand, 2.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 82.5% fewer children

In Mali, there are approximately 39.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Latvia, there are 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 83.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In Mali, approximately 54% of people have electricity access (92% in urban areas, and 23% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Latvia, 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 2.5 times more likely to have internet access

In Mali, approximately 36.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Latvia, about 92.7% do as of 2024.

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be 14.4% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Mali, approximately 86% of people have access to drinking water (94% in urban areas, and 80% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 99% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 91.1% more on healthcare

Mali spends 3.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Latvia, that number is 7.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 51.5% less likely to die in a road accident

In Mali, road accidents kill 20.2 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Latvia, they kill 9.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 33.4 times more home broadband

Mali has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Latvia has 25.8 as of 2024.

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live with 87.2% less strain on fresh water

Mali withdraws 8% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Latvia withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 38.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Mali, air pollution causes 65.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Latvia, it causes 40.0 as of 2019.

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emit 12.2 times more CO2

Mali emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Latvia emits 3.6 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 (2021). How we calculate this

Latvia: At a glance

Latvia is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 62,249 sq km. The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 28% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the eurozone in 2014.
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