If you lived in France instead of Russia, you would:

Health

live 9.5 years longer

In Russia, the average life expectancy is 73 years (68 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024. In France, that number is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 36.5% less likely to be obese

In Russia, 17.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In France, that number is 11.2% of people as of 2024.

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see 2.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Russia spends $3,204 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). France spends $6,868 as of 2024.

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be 22.4% less likely to die by suicide

Russia has a suicide rate of 21.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In France, it is 16.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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have 35.8% fewer doctors per person

Russia has 51.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. France has 32.8 as of 2022.

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Economy

make 2.8 times more money

Russia has a GDP per capita of $17,547 as of 2025, while in France, the GDP per capita is $48,986 as of 2025.

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be 3.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In Russia, 2.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In France, that number is 7.5% as of 2025.

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be 2.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Russia, 7.2% live below the poverty line as of 2024. In France, however, that number is 15.6% as of 2021.

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Life

be 22.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Russia, approximately 9.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In France, 7.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 17.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Russia, approximately 4.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In France, on the other hand, 3.4 children do as of 2024.

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have 15.5% more children

In Russia, there are approximately 8.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In France, there are 9.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 27.9% more on education

Russia spends 4.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. France spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 63.9% more on healthcare

Russia spends 7.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In France, that number is 11.5% of GDP as of 2024.

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Geography

see 87.1% less coastline

Russia has a total of 37,653 km of coastline. In France, that number is 4,853 km.

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Safety

be 80.2% less likely to be murdered

Russia has a homicide rate of 6.8 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In France, that number is 1.3 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 55.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Russia, road accidents kill 10.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In France, they kill 4.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 80.4% more home broadband

Russia has 27.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. France has 48.9 as of 2024.

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live with 5.2 times more strain on fresh water

Russia withdraws 4% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. France withdraws 21% as of 2022.

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use 11.5% less electricity

Russia uses 7,285 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. France uses 6,447 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 74.4% less likely to die from air pollution

In Russia, air pollution causes 39.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In France, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 71.4% less CO2

Russia emits 14.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. France emits 4.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

France: At a glance

France is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 549,970 sq km. France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-8, the G-20, the EU and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to take French forces out of NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion - became French regions and were made part of France proper.
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