If you lived in Latvia instead of Zimbabwe, you would:

Health

be 94.9% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zimbabwe, 9.8% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2024.

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live 13.4 years longer

In Zimbabwe, the average life expectancy is 63 years (60 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 76 years (72 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 29.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Zimbabwe spends $103 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Latvia spends $3,034 as of 2023.

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have 25.0 times more doctors per person

Zimbabwe has 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Latvia has 34.0 as of 2022.

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have 36.4% more access to essential health services

Zimbabwe scores 55 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Latvia scores 75 as of 2021.

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be 12.3% less likely to die by suicide

Zimbabwe has a suicide rate of 17.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Latvia, it is 15.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 51.7% more likely to be obese

In Zimbabwe, 14.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 29.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Zimbabwe, 9.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Latvia, that number is 6.6% as of 2025.

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be 41.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zimbabwe, 38.3% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Latvia, however, that number is 22.5% as of 2022.

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make 8.7 times more money

Zimbabwe has a GDP per capita of $3,021 as of 2025, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $26,312 as of 2025.

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Life

be 94.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Zimbabwe, approximately 358.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Latvia, 19.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 11.4% more likely to be literate

In Zimbabwe, the literacy rate is 89.7% as of 2021. In Latvia, it is 99.9% as of 2021.

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be 96.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Zimbabwe, approximately 62.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Latvia, on the other hand, 2.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 76.9% fewer children

In Zimbabwe, there are approximately 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Latvia, there are 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 61.3% more likely to have access to electricity

In Zimbabwe, approximately 62% of people have electricity access (84% in urban areas, and 51% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Latvia, 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 2.2 times more likely to have internet access

In Zimbabwe, approximately 41.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Latvia, about 92.7% do as of 2024.

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be 47.0% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Zimbabwe, approximately 67% of people have access to drinking water (94% in urban areas, and 54% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Latvia, that number is 99% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 99% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 11.4 times more on education

Zimbabwe spends 0.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Latvia spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 2.5 times more on healthcare

Zimbabwe spends 2.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Latvia, that number is 7.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 63.0% less likely to be murdered

Zimbabwe has a homicide rate of 6.8 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Latvia, that number is 2.5 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 67.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Zimbabwe, road accidents kill 29.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Latvia, they kill 9.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 13.3 times more home broadband

Zimbabwe has 1.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Latvia has 25.8 as of 2024.

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live with 97.8% less strain on fresh water

Zimbabwe withdraws 46% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Latvia withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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use 7.5 times more electricity

Zimbabwe uses 504 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Latvia uses 3,768 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 28.6% less likely to die from air pollution

In Zimbabwe, air pollution causes 56.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Latvia, it causes 40.0 as of 2019.

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emit 4.7 times more CO2

Zimbabwe emits 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Latvia emits 3.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Latvia: At a glance

Latvia is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 62,249 sq km. The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 28% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the eurozone in 2014.
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