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

Health

be 34.4% less likely to die by suicide

Portugal has a suicide rate of 11.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Ecuador, it is 7.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 4.8 years less

In Portugal, the average life expectancy is 82 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024. In Ecuador, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 60.1% more likely to be obese

In Portugal, 18.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Ecuador, that number is 28.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 74.9% less spent on your healthcare

Portugal spends $4,928 per person on healthcare as of 2024 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Ecuador spends $1,238 as of 2023.

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have 60.5% fewer doctors per person

Portugal has 58.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Ecuador has 23.1 as of 2020.

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have 12.5% less access to essential health services

Portugal scores 88 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Ecuador scores 77 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 46.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Portugal, 6.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Ecuador, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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make 77.8% less money

Portugal has a GDP per capita of $32,082 as of 2025, while in Ecuador, the GDP per capita is $7,125 as of 2025.

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Life

have 87.6% more children

In Portugal, there are approximately 7.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Ecuador, there are 14.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.7 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Portugal, approximately 15.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Ecuador, 55.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 4.0 times more likely to die during infancy

In Portugal, approximately 2.7 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Ecuador, on the other hand, 10.9 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 12.8% less likely to have internet access

In Portugal, approximately 88.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Ecuador, about 77.2% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 18.9% less on education

Portugal spends 4.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Ecuador spends 3.7% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 26.2% less on healthcare

Portugal spends 10.2% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2024. In Ecuador, that number is 7.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 24.8% more coastline

Portugal has a total of 1,793 km of coastline. In Ecuador, that number is 2,237 km.

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Safety

be 63.5 times more likely to be murdered

Portugal has a homicide rate of 0.7 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Ecuador, that number is 45.7 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 3.2 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Portugal, road accidents kill 7.2 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Ecuador, they kill 23.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 45.0% less strain on fresh water

Portugal withdraws 12% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Ecuador withdraws 7% as of 2022.

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find 61.9% less home broadband

Portugal has 45.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Ecuador has 17.2 as of 2024.

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use 68.3% less electricity

Portugal uses 5,294 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Ecuador uses 1,676 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 20.5% less CO2

Portugal emits 3.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Ecuador emits 2.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 2.3 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Portugal, air pollution causes 10.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Ecuador, it causes 23.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Ecuador: At a glance

Ecuador is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 276,841 sq km. What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador's 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, and voters re-elected President Rafael CORREA.
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