If you lived in Finland instead of Rwanda, you would:

Health

live 14.3 years longer

In Rwanda, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In Finland, that number is 82 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 36.3 times more spent on your healthcare

Rwanda spends $177 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Finland spends $6,433 as of 2023.

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have 40.1 times more doctors per person

Rwanda has 0.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Finland has 36.1 as of 2021.

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have 75.5% more access to essential health services

Rwanda scores 49 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Finland scores 86 as of 2021.

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be 4.3 times more likely to be obese

In Rwanda, 5.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Finland, that number is 24.2% of people as of 2024.

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be 67.9% more likely to die by suicide

Rwanda has a suicide rate of 8.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Finland, it is 14.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 16.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Rwanda, 11.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Finland, that number is 9.5% as of 2025.

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be 55.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Rwanda, 27.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Finland, however, that number is 12.2% as of 2022.

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make 50.0 times more money

Rwanda has a GDP per capita of $1,124 as of 2025, while in Finland, the GDP per capita is $56,149 as of 2025.

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Life

be 96.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Rwanda, approximately 229.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Finland, 8.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 93.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Rwanda, approximately 29.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Finland, on the other hand, 1.9 children do as of 2024.

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have 72.2% fewer children

In Rwanda, there are approximately 28.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Finland, there are 7.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 56.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In Rwanda, approximately 64% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 58% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Finland, 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 3.0 times more likely to have internet access

In Rwanda, approximately 31.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Finland, about 93.7% do as of 2024.

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be 62.9% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Rwanda, approximately 61% of people have access to drinking water (88% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Finland, 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 38.4% more on education

Rwanda spends 4.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Finland spends 6.4% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 2.0 times more on healthcare

Rwanda spends 5.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Finland, that number is 10.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 72.9% less likely to be murdered

Rwanda has a homicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In Finland, that number is 1.0 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 63.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Rwanda, road accidents kill 11.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Finland, they kill 4.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 60.8 times more home broadband

Rwanda has 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Finland has 36.5 as of 2024.

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live with 64.8% less strain on fresh water

Rwanda withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Finland withdraws 7% as of 2022.

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use 193.3 times more electricity

Rwanda uses 77 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Finland uses 14,819 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 88.7% less likely to die from air pollution

In Rwanda, air pollution causes 62.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Finland, it causes 7.0 as of 2019.

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emit 34.6 times more CO2

Rwanda emits 0.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Finland emits 5.5 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Finland: At a glance

Finland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 303,815 sq km. Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It gained complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it successfully defended its independence through cooperation with Germany and resisted subsequent invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, Finland transformed from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro single currency at its initiation in January 1999. In the 21st century, the key features of Finland's modern welfare state are high quality education, promotion of equality, and a national social welfare system - currently challenged by an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy.
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How big is Finland compared to Rwanda? See an in-depth size comparison.

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