Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Romania instead of United States, you would:

Health

be 37.8% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Romania, that number is 22.5% of people as of 2016.

live 4.3 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 80 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Romania, that number is 76 years (73 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.

Economy

pay a 59.6% lower top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Romania, the top tax rate is 16.0% as of 2016.

make 58.9% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $59,800 as of 2017, while in Romania, the GDP per capita is $24,600 as of 2017.

be 11.4% more likely to be unemployed

In United States, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Romania, that number is 4.9% as of 2017.

be 48.3% more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Romania, however, that number is 22.4% as of 2012.

Life

be 64.2% more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.3 children die before they reach the age of one as of 2020. In Romania, on the other hand, 8.7 children do as of 2020.

have 31.5% fewer children

In United States, there are approximately 12.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020. In Romania, there are 8.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020.

Basic Needs

be 19.0% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 87.3% of the population has internet access as of 2018. In Romania, about 70.7% do as of 2018.

Expenditures

spend 38.0% less on education

United States spends 5.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2014. Romania spends 3.1% of total GDP on education as of 2015.

Geography

see 98.9% less coastline

United States has a total of 19,924 km of coastline. In Romania, that number is 225 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Internal Revenue Service, National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF).

Romania: At a glance

Romania is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 229,891 sq km. The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they were de facto linked in 1859 and formally united in 1862 under the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
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