Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 2.5 years longer

In United States, the average life expectancy is 80 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Switzerland, that number is 83 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2020.

be 46.1% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Switzerland, that number is 19.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 27.3% less likely to be unemployed

In United States, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Switzerland, that number is 3.2% as of 2017.

be 56.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Switzerland, however, that number is 6.6% as of 2014.

Life

be 73.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 19.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Switzerland, 5.0 women do as of 2017.

be 34.0% less likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.3 children die before they reach the age of one as of 2020. In Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.5 children do as of 2020.

have 15.3% fewer children

In United States, there are approximately 12.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020. In Switzerland, there are 10.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Switzerland: At a glance

Switzerland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 39,997 sq km. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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How big is Switzerland compared to United States? See an in-depth size comparison.

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