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

Health

see 60.8% more spent on your healthcare

Vietnam spends $690 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Mongolia spends $1,109 as of 2023.

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have 3.7 times more doctors per person

Vietnam has 11.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. Mongolia has 41.3 as of 2022.

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live 2.3 years less

In Vietnam, the average life expectancy is 75 years (70 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024. In Mongolia, that number is 72 years (68 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 10.5 times more likely to be obese

In Vietnam, 2.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Mongolia, that number is 25.1% of people as of 2024.

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be 2.5 times more likely to die by suicide

Vietnam has a suicide rate of 7.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Mongolia, it is 18.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 40.3% more money

Vietnam has a GDP per capita of $5,066 as of 2025, while in Mongolia, the GDP per capita is $7,108 as of 2025.

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be 3.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In Vietnam, 1.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Mongolia, that number is 5.2% as of 2025.

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be 6.5 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Vietnam, 4.2% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Mongolia, however, that number is 27.1% as of 2022.

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Life

have 25.9% more children

In Vietnam, there are approximately 13.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Mongolia, there are 16.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 12.8% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Vietnam, approximately 99% of people have access to drinking water (99% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Mongolia, that number is 86% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 64% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 80.3% more on education

Vietnam spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Mongolia spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 33.1% more on healthcare

Vietnam spends 4.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Mongolia, that number is 6.1% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 29.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Vietnam, road accidents kill 17.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Mongolia, they kill 12.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 81.2% less strain on fresh water

Vietnam withdraws 18% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Mongolia withdraws 3% as of 2022.

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find 33.4% less home broadband

Vietnam has 23.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Mongolia has 15.8 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 2.3 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Vietnam, air pollution causes 52.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Mongolia, it causes 120.0 as of 2019.

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emit 83.8% more CO2

Vietnam emits 4.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Mongolia emits 7.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Mongolia: At a glance

Mongolia is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 1,553,556 sq km. The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis KHAAN they established a huge Eurasian empire through conquest. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and in the late 17th century came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing and a communist regime was installed in 1924. The modern country of Mongolia, however, represents only part of the Mongols' historical homeland; more ethnic Mongolians live in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China than in Mongolia. Following a peaceful democratic revolution, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won elections in 1990 and 1992, but was defeated by the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) in the 1996 parliamentary election. The MPRP won an overwhelming majority in the 2000 parliamentary election, but the party lost seats in the 2004 election and shared power with democratic coalition parties from 2004-08. The MPRP regained a solid majority in the 2008 parliamentary elections but nevertheless formed a coalition government with the Democratic Party that lasted until January 2012. In 2009, current President ELBEGDORJ of the Democratic Party was elected to office and was re-elected for his second term in June 2013. In 2010, the MPRP voted to retake the name of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP), a name it used in the early 1920s. Shortly thereafter, a new party was formed by former president ENKHBAYAR, which adopted the MPRP name. In the 2012 Parliamentary elections, a coalition of four political parties led by the Democratic Party, gained control of the Parliament.
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