If you lived in France instead of Vanuatu, you would:

Health

live 11.3 years longer

In Vanuatu, the average life expectancy is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024. In France, that number is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 50.4% less likely to be obese

In Vanuatu, 22.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In France, that number is 11.2% of people as of 2024.

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see 48.6 times more spent on your healthcare

Vanuatu spends $141 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). France spends $6,868 as of 2024.

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have 20.0 times more doctors per person

Vanuatu has 1.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2019. France has 32.8 as of 2022.

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have 80.9% more access to essential health services

Vanuatu scores 47 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. France scores 85 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 12.1 times more money

Vanuatu has a GDP per capita of $4,039 as of 2025, while in France, the GDP per capita is $48,986 as of 2025.

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be 48.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Vanuatu, 5.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In France, that number is 7.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 93.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Vanuatu, approximately 100.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In France, 7.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 76.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Vanuatu, approximately 14.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In France, on the other hand, 3.4 children do as of 2024.

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have 64.9% fewer children

In Vanuatu, there are approximately 27.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In France, there are 9.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 62.3% more likely to have access to electricity

In Vanuatu, approximately 62% of people have electricity access (88% in urban areas, and 54% in rural areas) as of 2023. In France, 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 26.8% more likely to have internet access

In Vanuatu, approximately 69.9% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In France, about 88.7% do as of 2024.

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be 14.8% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Vanuatu, approximately 87% of people have access to drinking water (97% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2024. In France, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 30.4% less on education

Vanuatu spends 7.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. France spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 2.8 times more on healthcare

Vanuatu spends 4.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In France, that number is 11.5% of GDP as of 2024.

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Geography

see 92.0% more coastline

Vanuatu has a total of 2,528 km of coastline. In France, that number is 4,853 km.

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Safety

be 62.4% less likely to die in a road accident

In Vanuatu, road accidents kill 12.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In France, they kill 4.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 4.1 times more likely to be murdered

Vanuatu has a homicide rate of 0.3 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In France, that number is 1.3 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 42.2 times more home broadband

Vanuatu has 1.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. France has 48.9 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 82.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Vanuatu, air pollution causes 57.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In France, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 4.6 times more CO2

Vanuatu emits 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. France emits 4.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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

France: At a glance

France is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 549,970 sq km. France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-8, the G-20, the EU and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to take French forces out of NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion - became French regions and were made part of France proper.
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