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

Health

be 23.5% less likely to be obese

In Puerto Rico, 42.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Romania, that number is 32.4% of people as of 2024.

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live 5.4 years less

In Puerto Rico, the average life expectancy is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024. In Romania, that number is 76 years (73 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 77.5% more likely to die by suicide

Puerto Rico has a suicide rate of 5.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Romania, it is 9.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 44.5% less money

Puerto Rico has a GDP per capita of $40,620 as of 2025, while in Romania, the GDP per capita is $22,538 as of 2025.

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Life

have 31.6% more children

In Puerto Rico, there are approximately 5.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Romania, there are 7.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 23.2% less on education

Puerto Rico spends 4.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Romania spends 3.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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Geography

see 55.1% less coastline

Puerto Rico has a total of 501 km of coastline. In Romania, that number is 225 km.

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Safety

be 92.4% less likely to be murdered

Puerto Rico has a homicide rate of 14.6 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Romania, that number is 1.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 23.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Puerto Rico, road accidents kill 12.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Romania, they kill 9.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 27.9% more home broadband

Puerto Rico has 28.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Romania has 35.8 as of 2024.

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live with 61.0% less strain on fresh water

Puerto Rico withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Romania withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 22.8% less CO2

Puerto Rico emits 4.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Romania emits 3.7 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Romania: At a glance

Romania is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 229,891 sq km. The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they were de facto linked in 1859 and formally united in 1862 under the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
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