If you lived in Latvia instead of Republic of the Congo, you would:

Health

be 84.4% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Republic of the Congo, 3.2% 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 10.4 years longer

In Republic of the Congo, the average life expectancy is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 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 14.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Republic of the Congo spends $209 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Latvia spends $3,034 as of 2023.

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have 19.6 times more doctors per person

Republic of the Congo has 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Latvia has 34.0 as of 2022.

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have 82.9% more access to essential health services

Republic of the Congo scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Latvia scores 75 as of 2021.

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be 82.9% more likely to be obese

In Republic of the Congo, 12.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2024.

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be 2.3 times more likely to die by suicide

Republic of the Congo has a suicide rate of 6.7 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 67.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Republic of the Congo, 19.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Latvia, that number is 6.6% as of 2025.

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make 10.5 times more money

Republic of the Congo has a GDP per capita of $2,515 as of 2025, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $26,312 as of 2025.

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Life

be 92.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 241.0 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 23.9% more likely to be literate

In Republic of the Congo, the literacy rate is 80.6% as of 2021. In Latvia, it is 99.9% as of 2021.

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be 91.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 27.0 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 77.3% fewer children

In Republic of the Congo, there are approximately 30.4 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 94.9% more likely to have access to electricity

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 51% of people have electricity access (69% in urban areas, and 11% 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 96.2% more likely to have internet access

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 47.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Latvia, about 92.7% do as of 2024.

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be 34.4% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 73% of people have access to drinking water (87% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2021. 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 29.3% more on education

Republic of the Congo spends 3.3% 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 2.2 times more on healthcare

Republic of the Congo spends 3.3% 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 2.9 times more coastline

Republic of the Congo has a total of 169 km of coastline. In Latvia, that number is 498 km.

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Safety

be 16.7% more likely to die in a road accident

In Republic of the Congo, road accidents kill 8.4 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 20.3 times more home broadband

Republic of the Congo has 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Latvia has 25.8 as of 2024.

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use 11.1 times more electricity

Republic of the Congo uses 338 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Latvia uses 3,768 kWh as of 2024.

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live with 34.0 times more strain on fresh water

Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Latvia withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 39.4% less likely to die from air pollution

In Republic of the Congo, air pollution causes 66.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Latvia, it causes 40.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.7 times more CO2

Republic of the Congo emits 1.3 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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