If you lived in Sweden instead of Qatar, you would:

Health

live 1.5 years longer

In Qatar, the average life expectancy is 83 years (82 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2024. In Sweden, that number is 84 years (83 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 58.3% less likely to be obese

In Qatar, 42.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Sweden, that number is 17.5% of people as of 2024.

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see 2.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Qatar spends $2,901 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Sweden spends $7,770 as of 2024.

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have 45.9% more doctors per person

Qatar has 30.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Sweden has 44.1 as of 2021.

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have 11.8% more access to essential health services

Qatar scores 76 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Sweden scores 85 as of 2021.

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be 2.9 times more likely to die by suicide

Qatar has a suicide rate of 4.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Sweden, it is 13.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 66.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In Qatar, 0.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Sweden, that number is 8.7% as of 2025.

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make 12.9% less money

Qatar has a GDP per capita of $72,525 as of 2025, while in Sweden, the GDP per capita is $63,133 as of 2025.

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Life

be 58.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Qatar, approximately 4.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Sweden, on the other hand, 2.0 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 2.3 times more on education

Qatar spends 3.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Sweden spends 7.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 4.5 times more on healthcare

Qatar spends 2.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Sweden, that number is 11.2% of GDP as of 2024.

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Geography

see 5.7 times more coastline

Qatar has a total of 563 km of coastline. In Sweden, that number is 3,218 km.

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Safety

be 71.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Qatar, road accidents kill 7.3 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Sweden, they kill 2.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 16.4 times more likely to be murdered

Qatar has a homicide rate of 0.1 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Sweden, that number is 1.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 3.4 times more home broadband

Qatar has 11.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Sweden has 40.6 as of 2024.

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live with 99.2% less strain on fresh water

Qatar withdraws 431% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Sweden withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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use 38.8% less electricity

Qatar uses 19,963 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Sweden uses 12,226 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 91.2% less likely to die from air pollution

In Qatar, air pollution causes 91.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Sweden, it causes 8.0 as of 2019.

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emit 92.5% less CO2

Qatar emits 47.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Sweden emits 3.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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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

Sweden: At a glance

Sweden is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 410,335 sq km. A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both world wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
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