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

Health

live 4.0 years longer

In Mongolia, the average life expectancy is 72 years (68 years for men, 77 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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be 11.1% less likely to be obese

In Mongolia, 25.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2024.

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see 2.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Mongolia spends $1,109 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Latvia spends $3,034 as of 2023.

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have 15.4% more access to essential health services

Mongolia scores 65 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Latvia scores 75 as of 2021.

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be 17.8% less likely to die by suicide

Mongolia has a suicide rate of 18.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Latvia, it is 15.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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have 17.7% fewer doctors per person

Mongolia has 41.3 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Latvia has 34.0 as of 2022.

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Economy

be 17.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Mongolia, 27.1% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Latvia, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

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make 3.7 times more money

Mongolia has a GDP per capita of $7,108 as of 2025, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $26,312 as of 2025.

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be 25.6% more likely to be unemployed

In Mongolia, 5.2% 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 53.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Mongolia, approximately 41.0 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 80.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Mongolia, approximately 11.2 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 59.2% fewer children

In Mongolia, there are approximately 16.9 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 14.7% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Mongolia, approximately 86% of people have access to drinking water (96% in urban areas, and 64% 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 17.1% less on education

Mongolia spends 5.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Latvia spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 19.9% more on healthcare

Mongolia spends 6.1% 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 57.8% less likely to be murdered

Mongolia has a homicide rate of 5.9 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Latvia, that number is 2.5 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 21.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Mongolia, road accidents kill 12.4 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 63.2% more home broadband

Mongolia has 15.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Latvia has 25.8 as of 2024.

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live with 70.0% less strain on fresh water

Mongolia withdraws 3% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Latvia withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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use 38.1% more electricity

Mongolia uses 2,728 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Latvia uses 3,768 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 66.7% less likely to die from air pollution

In Mongolia, air pollution causes 120.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Latvia, it causes 40.0 as of 2019.

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emit 53.5% less CO2

Mongolia emits 7.8 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). 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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How big is Latvia compared to Mongolia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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