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

Health

be 58.3% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Nigeria, 1.2% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2024.

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live 21.8 years longer

In Nigeria, the average life expectancy is 55 years (54 years for men, 55 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 11.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Nigeria spends $260 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Latvia spends $3,034 as of 2023.

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have 8.9 times more doctors per person

Nigeria has 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Latvia has 34.0 as of 2022.

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have 97.4% more access to essential health services

Nigeria scores 38 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Latvia scores 75 as of 2021.

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be 63.2% more likely to be obese

In Nigeria, 13.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2024.

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be 3.0 times more likely to die by suicide

Nigeria has a suicide rate of 5.0 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 60.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Nigeria, 56.2% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Latvia, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

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make 21.5 times more money

Nigeria has a GDP per capita of $1,224 as of 2025, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $26,312 as of 2025.

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be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Nigeria, 3.1% 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 98.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Nigeria, approximately 993.0 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 41.9% more likely to be literate

In Nigeria, the literacy rate is 70.4% as of 2024. In Latvia, it is 99.9% as of 2021.

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be 96.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Nigeria, approximately 69.8 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 78.8% fewer children

In Nigeria, there are approximately 32.5 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 63.4% more likely to have access to electricity

In Nigeria, approximately 61% of people have electricity access (85% in urban areas, and 33% 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 2.2 times more likely to have internet access

In Nigeria, approximately 41.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Latvia, about 92.7% do as of 2024.

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be 20.1% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Nigeria, approximately 82% of people have access to drinking water (95% in urban areas, and 67% 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 13.5 times more on education

Nigeria spends 0.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Latvia spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 73.7% more on healthcare

Nigeria spends 4.2% 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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Geography

see 41.6% less coastline

Nigeria has a total of 853 km of coastline. In Latvia, that number is 498 km.

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Safety

be 84.1% less likely to be murdered

Nigeria has a homicide rate of 15.8 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 43.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Nigeria, road accidents kill 17.2 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 321.9 times more home broadband

Nigeria has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Latvia has 25.8 as of 2024.

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live with 89.5% less strain on fresh water

Nigeria withdraws 10% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Latvia withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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use 26.1 times more electricity

Nigeria uses 144 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Latvia uses 3,768 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 48.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Nigeria, air pollution causes 77.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Latvia, it causes 40.0 as of 2019.

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emit 6.4 times more CO2

Nigeria emits 0.6 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), The World Factbook (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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