If you lived in Latvia instead of Puerto Rico, you would:

Health

be 47.4% less likely to be obese

In Puerto Rico, 42.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2024.

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live 5.5 years less

In Puerto Rico, the average life expectancy is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 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 2.8 times more likely to die by suicide

Puerto Rico has a suicide rate of 5.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Latvia, it is 15.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 35.2% less money

Puerto Rico has a GDP per capita of $40,620 as of 2025, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $26,312 as of 2025.

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Life

be 63.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Puerto Rico, approximately 6.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Latvia, on the other hand, 2.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 21.1% more children

In Puerto Rico, there are approximately 5.7 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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be 72.7% more likely to die during childbirth

In Puerto Rico, approximately 11.0 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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Safety

be 82.9% less likely to be murdered

Puerto Rico has a homicide rate of 14.6 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 21.6% less likely to die in a road accident

In Puerto Rico, road accidents kill 12.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Latvia, they kill 9.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 94.8% less strain on fresh water

Puerto Rico withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Latvia withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 24.3% less CO2

Puerto Rico emits 4.8 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), World Health Organization (2024), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), The World Factbook (2022). 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 Puerto Rico? See an in-depth size comparison.

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