If you lived in Ireland instead of Vietnam, you would:

Health

live 8.3 years longer

In Vietnam, the average life expectancy is 75 years (70 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024. In Ireland, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 12.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Vietnam spends $690 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Ireland spends $8,772 as of 2024.

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have 3.5 times more doctors per person

Vietnam has 11.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. Ireland has 38.8 as of 2023.

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have 22.1% more access to essential health services

Vietnam scores 68 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Ireland scores 83 as of 2021.

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be 11.6 times more likely to be obese

In Vietnam, 2.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Ireland, that number is 27.9% of people as of 2024.

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be 17.1% more likely to die by suicide

Vietnam has a suicide rate of 7.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Ireland, it is 8.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 26.0 times more money

Vietnam has a GDP per capita of $5,066 as of 2025, while in Ireland, the GDP per capita is $131,592 as of 2025.

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be 3.0 times more likely to be unemployed

In Vietnam, 1.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Ireland, that number is 4.6% as of 2025.

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be 3.3 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Vietnam, 4.2% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Ireland, however, that number is 14.0% as of 2021.

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Life

be 91.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Vietnam, approximately 48.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Ireland, 4.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 71.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Vietnam, approximately 12.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Ireland, on the other hand, 3.4 children do as of 2024.

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have 25.5% fewer children

In Vietnam, there are approximately 13.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Ireland, there are 10.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 15.5% more likely to have internet access

In Vietnam, approximately 84.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Ireland, about 97.2% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 50.2% more on healthcare

Vietnam spends 4.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Ireland, that number is 6.8% of GDP as of 2024.

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Geography

see 58.0% less coastline

Vietnam has a total of 3,444 km of coastline. In Ireland, that number is 1,448 km.

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Safety

be 84.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Vietnam, road accidents kill 17.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Ireland, they kill 2.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 36.2% more home broadband

Vietnam has 23.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Ireland has 32.3 as of 2024.

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live with 55.6% less strain on fresh water

Vietnam withdraws 18% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Ireland withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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use 2.4 times more electricity

Vietnam uses 2,585 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Ireland uses 6,298 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 75.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Vietnam, air pollution causes 52.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Ireland, it causes 13.0 as of 2019.

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emit 41.5% more CO2

Vietnam emits 4.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Ireland emits 6.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Ireland: At a glance

Ireland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 68,883 sq km. Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600 and 150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century saw the population of the island drop by one third through starvation and emigration. For more than a century after that the population of the island continued to fall only to begin growing again in the 1960s. Over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU. The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising which touched off several years of guerrilla warfare resulting in independence from the UK in 1921 for 26 southern counties; six northern counties remained part of the UK. Unresolved issues in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the "Troubles" that began in the 1960s. The Government of Ireland was part of a process along with the UK and US Governments that helped broker what is known as The Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland in 1998. This initiated a new phase of cooperation between Irish and British governments. Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the Eurozone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth, which came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. Today the economy is recovering, fueled by large and growing foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals.
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