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

Health

be 93.8% 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 Romania, that number is 0.2% of people as of 2024.

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live 10.5 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 Romania, that number is 76 years (73 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 12.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Republic of the Congo spends $209 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Romania spends $2,614 as of 2023.

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have 21.0 times more doctors per person

Republic of the Congo has 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Romania has 36.2 as of 2022.

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have 90.2% more access to essential health services

Republic of the Congo scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Romania scores 78 as of 2021.

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be 2.7 times more likely to be obese

In Republic of the Congo, 12.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Romania, that number is 32.4% of people as of 2024.

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be 43.4% 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 Romania, it is 9.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 69.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Republic of the Congo, 19.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Romania, that number is 6.0% as of 2025.

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make 9.0 times more money

Republic of the Congo has a GDP per capita of $2,515 as of 2025, while in Romania, the GDP per capita is $22,538 as of 2025.

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Life

be 95.0% 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 Romania, 12.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 23.0% more likely to be literate

In Republic of the Congo, the literacy rate is 80.6% as of 2021. In Romania, it is 99.2% as of 2021.

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be 77.8% 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 Romania, on the other hand, 6.0 children do as of 2024.

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have 75.3% fewer children

In Republic of the Congo, there are approximately 30.4 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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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 Romania, 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 93.2% more likely to have internet access

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 47.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Romania, about 91.3% do as of 2024.

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be 36.1% 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 Romania, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 73.0% more on healthcare

Republic of the Congo spends 3.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Romania, that number is 5.7% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 33.1% more coastline

Republic of the Congo has a total of 169 km of coastline. In Romania, that number is 225 km.

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Safety

be 14.3% 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 Romania, they kill 9.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 28.2 times more home broadband

Republic of the Congo has 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Romania has 35.8 as of 2024.

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use 7.6 times more electricity

Republic of the Congo uses 338 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Romania uses 2,585 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 254.3 times more strain on fresh water

Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Romania withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 30.3% 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 Romania, it causes 46.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.8 times more CO2

Republic of the Congo emits 1.3 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), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2021), World Health Organization (2024). 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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