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

Health

live 7.6 years longer

In Vietnam, the average life expectancy is 75 years (70 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 82 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 7.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Vietnam spends $690 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Portugal spends $4,928 as of 2024.

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have 5.3 times more doctors per person

Vietnam has 11.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. Portugal has 58.5 as of 2022.

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have 29.4% more access to essential health services

Vietnam scores 68 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Portugal scores 88 as of 2021.

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be 7.5 times more likely to be obese

In Vietnam, 2.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 18.1% of people as of 2024.

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be 57.8% more likely to die by suicide

Vietnam has a suicide rate of 7.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Portugal, it is 11.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 6.3 times more money

Vietnam has a GDP per capita of $5,066 as of 2025, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $32,082 as of 2025.

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be 4.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Vietnam, 1.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Portugal, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

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be 3.9 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Vietnam, 4.2% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Portugal, however, that number is 16.4% as of 2021.

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Life

be 68.8% 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 Portugal, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 77.5% 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 Portugal, on the other hand, 2.7 children do as of 2024.

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have 41.1% fewer children

In Vietnam, there are approximately 13.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Portugal, there are 7.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 57.4% more on education

Vietnam spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Portugal spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 2.2 times more on healthcare

Vietnam spends 4.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 10.2% of GDP as of 2024.

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Geography

see 47.9% less coastline

Vietnam has a total of 3,444 km of coastline. In Portugal, that number is 1,793 km.

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Safety

be 59.3% less likely to die in a road accident

In Vietnam, road accidents kill 17.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Portugal, they kill 7.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 90.8% more home broadband

Vietnam has 23.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Portugal has 45.2 as of 2024.

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live with 32.0% less strain on fresh water

Vietnam withdraws 18% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Portugal withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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use 2.0 times more electricity

Vietnam uses 2,585 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Portugal uses 5,294 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 80.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Vietnam, air pollution causes 52.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Portugal, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 22.2% less CO2

Vietnam emits 4.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Portugal emits 3.3 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

Portugal: At a glance

Portugal is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 91,470 sq km. Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
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How big is Portugal compared to Vietnam? See an in-depth size comparison.

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