If you lived in Laos instead of Ukraine, you would:

Health

be 59.8% less likely to be obese

In Ukraine, 22.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Laos, that number is 9.2% of people as of 2024.

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be 78.4% less likely to die by suicide

Ukraine has a suicide rate of 21.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Laos, it is 4.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 5.5 years less

In Ukraine, the average life expectancy is 75 years (70 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024. In Laos, that number is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 91.1% less spent on your healthcare

Ukraine spends $1,382 per person on healthcare as of 2021 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Laos spends $123 as of 2023.

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have 90.6% fewer doctors per person

Ukraine has 35.3 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Laos has 3.3 as of 2022.

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have 31.6% less access to essential health services

Ukraine scores 76 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Laos scores 52 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 60.4% less money

Ukraine has a GDP per capita of $5,866 as of 2025, while in Laos, the GDP per capita is $2,325 as of 2025.

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Life

have 3.8 times more children

In Ukraine, there are approximately 5.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Laos, there are 20.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 7.5 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Ukraine, approximately 15.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Laos, 112.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 24.4% less likely to be literate

In Ukraine, the literacy rate is 100.0% as of 2021. In Laos, it is 75.6% as of 2023.

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be 3.6 times more likely to die during infancy

In Ukraine, approximately 7.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Laos, on the other hand, 27.2 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 20.5% less likely to have internet access

In Ukraine, approximately 82.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Laos, about 65.6% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 76.1% less on education

Ukraine spends 5.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Laos spends 1.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 83.8% less on healthcare

Ukraine spends 8.2% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2021. In Laos, that number is 1.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 56.2% more likely to die in a road accident

In Ukraine, road accidents kill 10.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Laos, they kill 16.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 24.0% less strain on fresh water

Ukraine withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Laos withdraws 5% as of 2022.

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find 87.4% less home broadband

Ukraine has 21.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Laos has 2.7 as of 2023.

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use 33.8% less electricity

Ukraine uses 2,516 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Laos uses 1,665 kWh as of 2023.

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

Laos: At a glance

Laos is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 230,800 sq km. Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997 and the WTO in 2013.
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