If you lived in Latvia instead of Timor-Leste, you would:

Health

live 8.5 years longer

In Timor-Leste, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 76 years (72 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 6.6 times more spent on your healthcare

Timor-Leste spends $461 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Latvia spends $3,034 as of 2023.

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have 4.5 times more doctors per person

Timor-Leste has 7.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2020. Latvia has 34.0 as of 2022.

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have 44.2% more access to essential health services

Timor-Leste scores 52 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Latvia scores 75 as of 2021.

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be 6.2 times more likely to be obese

In Timor-Leste, 3.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2024.

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be 4.3 times more likely to die by suicide

Timor-Leste has a suicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Latvia, it is 15.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 19.6 times more money

Timor-Leste has a GDP per capita of $1,341 as of 2025, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $26,312 as of 2025.

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be 4.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Timor-Leste, 1.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Latvia, that number is 6.6% as of 2025.

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Life

be 90.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Timor-Leste, approximately 192.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Latvia, 19.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 43.9% more likely to be literate

In Timor-Leste, the literacy rate is 69.4% as of 2022. In Latvia, it is 99.9% as of 2021.

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be 93.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Timor-Leste, approximately 34.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Latvia, on the other hand, 2.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 68.3% fewer children

In Timor-Leste, there are approximately 21.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Latvia, there are 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 2.3 times more likely to have internet access

In Timor-Leste, approximately 40.8% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Latvia, about 92.7% do as of 2024.

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be 13.1% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Timor-Leste, approximately 87% of people have access to drinking water (98% in urban areas, and 82% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 99% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 17.6% less on education

Timor-Leste spends 5.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Latvia spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 24.2% less on healthcare

Timor-Leste spends 9.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Latvia, that number is 7.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 29.5% less coastline

Timor-Leste has a total of 706 km of coastline. In Latvia, that number is 498 km.

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Safety

be 18.3% less likely to die in a road accident

In Timor-Leste, road accidents kill 12.0 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Latvia, they kill 9.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 2575.0 times more home broadband

Timor-Leste has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Latvia has 25.8 as of 2024.

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live with 96.4% less strain on fresh water

Timor-Leste withdraws 28% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Latvia withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 34.4% less likely to die from air pollution

In Timor-Leste, air pollution causes 61.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Latvia, it causes 40.0 as of 2019.

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emit 7.3 times more CO2

Timor-Leste emits 0.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Latvia emits 3.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), The World Factbook (2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Latvia: At a glance

Latvia is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 62,249 sq km. The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 28% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the eurozone in 2014.
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