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

Health

live 10.4 years longer

In Syria, the average life expectancy is 73 years (70 years for men, 75 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 66.1% less likely to be obese

In Syria, 33.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In France, that number is 11.2% of people as of 2024.

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see 56.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Syria spends $122 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). France spends $6,868 as of 2024.

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have 2.2 times more doctors per person

Syria has 15.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. France has 32.8 as of 2022.

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have 32.8% more access to essential health services

Syria scores 64 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. France scores 85 as of 2021.

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be 28.1 times more likely to die by suicide

Syria has a suicide rate of 0.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In France, it is 16.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 44.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Syria, 13.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In France, that number is 7.5% as of 2025.

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make 46.4 times more money

Syria has a GDP per capita of $1,057 as of 2022, while in France, the GDP per capita is $48,986 as of 2025.

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Life

be 65.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Syria, approximately 20.0 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 80.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Syria, approximately 17.7 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 58.1% fewer children

In Syria, there are approximately 23.2 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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Basic Needs

be 13.1% more likely to have access to electricity

In Syria, approximately 88% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 73% in rural areas) as of 2023. In France, 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 90.2% more likely to have internet access

In Syria, approximately 46.6% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In France, about 88.7% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 4.3 times more on healthcare

Syria spends 2.7% 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 25.1 times more coastline

Syria has a total of 193 km of coastline. In France, that number is 4,853 km.

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Safety

be 84.3% less likely to die in a road accident

In Syria, road accidents kill 29.9 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 7.1 times more home broadband

Syria has 6.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. France has 48.9 as of 2024.

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live with 82.8% less strain on fresh water

Syria withdraws 124% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. France withdraws 21% as of 2022.

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use 7.5 times more electricity

Syria uses 854 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. France uses 6,447 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 88.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Syria, air pollution causes 83.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In France, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 3.1 times more CO2

Syria emits 1.3 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), The World Factbook (2022), World Health Organization (2024). 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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