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

Health

live 8.7 years longer

In Syria, the average life expectancy is 73 years (70 years for men, 75 years for women) as of 2024. In Maldives, that number is 81 years (80 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 45.9% less likely to be obese

In Syria, 33.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Maldives, that number is 17.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 18.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Syria spends $122 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Maldives spends $2,288 as of 2023.

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have 46.9% more doctors per person

Syria has 15.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. Maldives has 22.4 as of 2019.

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be 2.5 times more likely to die by suicide

Syria has a suicide rate of 0.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Maldives, it is 1.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 66.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Syria, 13.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Maldives, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.

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make 13.8 times more money

Syria has a GDP per capita of $1,057 as of 2022, while in Maldives, the GDP per capita is $14,615 as of 2025.

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Life

be 73.4% 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 Maldives, on the other hand, 4.7 children do as of 2024.

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be 60.0% more 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 Maldives, 32.0 women do as of 2023.

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have 54.3% fewer children

In Syria, there are approximately 23.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Maldives, there are 10.6 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 Maldives, 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 82.9% more likely to have internet access

In Syria, approximately 46.6% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Maldives, about 85.2% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 3.4 times more on healthcare

Syria spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Maldives, that number is 9.2% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 3.3 times more coastline

Syria has a total of 193 km of coastline. In Maldives, that number is 644 km.

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Safety

be 95.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Syria, road accidents kill 29.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Maldives, they kill 1.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 2.9 times more home broadband

Syria has 6.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Maldives has 19.6 as of 2024.

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live with 87.4% less strain on fresh water

Syria withdraws 124% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Maldives withdraws 16% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 65.1% less likely to die from air pollution

In Syria, air pollution causes 83.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Maldives, it causes 29.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.8 times more CO2

Syria emits 1.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Maldives emits 3.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2022), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Maldives: At a glance

Maldives is a sovereign country in South Asia, with a total land area of approximately 298 sq km. A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated the islands' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following political demonstrations in the capital Male in August 2003, the president and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was sluggish, however, and many promised reforms were slow to be realized. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution, which was ratified by the president in August. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the former regime. President NASHEED faced a number of challenges including strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse. In early February 2012, after several weeks of street protests following his sacking of a top judge, NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. In mid-2012, a Commission of National Inquiry was set by the government to probe events leading up to NASHEED's resignation. Though the commission found no evidence of a coup, the report recommended the need to strengthen the country's democratic institutions to avert similar events in the future, and to further investigate alleged police misconduct during the crisis. Maldivian officials have played a prominent role in international climate change discussions (due to the islands' low elevation and the threat from sea-level rise) on the UN Human Rights Council and in other international forums, as well as in encouraging regional cooperation, especially between India and Pakistan.
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