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Argentina vs Colombia
Side-by-side comparison of Argentina and Colombia from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Argentina
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 210 years
Colombia
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 216 years
In short
Argentina scores 54.6 in the NationsTree Index (72nd in the world) and Colombia scores 42.2 (120th), a gap of 12.5 points. Their trees are 23 m and 19 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Colombia has 17% more people than Argentina. Argentina is 2.4 times larger than Colombia by land area. The economy of Argentina is 24% larger than that of Colombia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Argentina 45.9 million and Colombia 53.4 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $32,587 in Argentina and $22,640 in Colombia (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 77.5 and 77.9 years.
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Argentina ranks higher in the world on 26 and Colombia on 11. Argentina is clearly stronger in society & health, institutions & safety and infrastructure & digital. Colombia is clearly stronger in military, environment & energy and trade.
As a nation, Colombia is the older of the two (statehood since 1810, 216 years), compared with Argentina (since 1816). Over the last five years Argentina improved faster (direction score 19 vs 11 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Argentina and Colombia.
Argentinabetter
-0.2%
40th of 192
Colombia
-5.8%
161st of 192
Political stabilityInstitutions & safety
Argentinabetter
68.4
103rd of 207
Colombia
48.9
180th of 207
PhysiciansSociety & health
Argentinabetter
5.11
9th of 174
Colombia
2.54
73rd of 174
Tertiary enrolmentSociety & health
Argentinabetter
107.8%
9th of 150
Colombia
59.3%
61st of 150
Renewable energyEnvironment & energy
Argentina
9.2%
149th of 212
Colombiabetter
29.7%
81st of 212
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Colombia overtook Argentina in life expectancy in 2022 and has stayed ahead since.
Colombia overtook Argentina in population in 1992 and has stayed ahead since.
Argentina has been ahead of Colombia in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1995.
Argentina has been ahead of Colombia in GDP per person (PPP) and GDP (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
ArgentinaColombia All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Argentina | Colombia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 2,780,4008th/216 · 2024 | 1,140,61925th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 2,736,6908th/216 · 2024 | 1,109,50026th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 45.9 m35th/217 · 2025 | 53.4 m28th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.34%152nd/217 · 2025 | 1.01%102nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 16.7195th/216 · 2024 | 47.7156th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 92.4%25th/217 · 2025 | 78.8%66th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 21.0%117th/217 · 2025 | 20.0%123rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 12.6%80th/217 · 2025 | 10.2%97th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $683.10 bn24th/210 · 2025 | $457.41 bn36th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.49 trn28th/199 · 2025 | $1.21 trn31st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.28 trn28th/199 · 2025 | $1.00 trn31st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $14,89886th/210 · 2025 | $8,562109th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $32,58779th/199 · 2025 | $22,64098th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $14,65077th/201 · 2025 | $7,900103rd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.4%69th/210 · 2025 | 2.6%129th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 219.9%180th/180 · 2024 | 5.1%139th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 7.1%128th/187 · 2025 | 8.3%133rd/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 71.2%38th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 80.1%146th/189 · 2025 | 59.9%115th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -0.2%40th/192 · 2025 | -5.8%161st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 5.5%103rd/197 · 2025 | 9.9%70th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 22.9%106th/200 · 2025 | 21.8%117th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 13.6%55th/192 · 2025 | 9.9%103rd/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 56.2%114th/200 · 2025 | 58.5%97th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $106.26 bn48th/182 · 2025 | $68.54 bn57th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $101.16 bn50th/182 · 2025 | $93.24 bn52nd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 15.6%161st/183 · 2025 | 15.0%162nd/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 14.8%177th/183 · 2025 | 20.4%165th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 30.4%176th/183 · 2025 | 35.4%169th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 9.1%52nd/170 · 2025 | 34.9%27th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 12.6%125th/171 · 2025 | 22.1%101st/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 50.1%29th/171 · 2025 | 25.4%56th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.1%163rd/171 · 2025 | 3.3%83rd/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 3.9%106th/168 · 2024 | 9.0%72nd/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -1.1%93rd/191 · 2025 | -2.4%103rd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.6%154th/196 · 2025 | 2.5%82nd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 2.7%89th/209 · 2021 | 5.3%70th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 1.54%41st/197 · 2021 | 3.42%30th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.39%41st/197 · 2021 | 0.18%54th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%65th/195 · 2021 | 0.73%9th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.58%53rd/209 · 2021 | 0.91%47th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.14%103rd/209 · 2021 | 0.09%115th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 17.1%63rd/206 · 2024 | 2.7%160th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 6,43160th/183 · 2022 | 41,45913th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 7.4 m28th/194 · 2019 | 1.4 m83rd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.70 bn57th/175 · 2020 | $1.96 bn50th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 2.6%116th/168 · 2020 | 5.1%84th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 15.4 m14th/107 · 2019 | 1.3 m61st/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 77.580th/217 · 2024 | 77.974th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 9.570th/196 · 2024 | 11.584th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 5.119th/174 · 2023 | 2.5473rd/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.451st/145 · 2022 | 1.796th/145 · 2020 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 75%157th/193 · 2024 | 89%110th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 56.4%2003 | 62.7%97th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 105.6%38th/173 · 2023 | 101.6%54th/173 · 2022 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 56.6%24th/55 · 2022 | 41.0%35th/55 · 2022 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 19.0%77th/217 · 2025 | 14.6%100th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 10.3%26th/193 · 2023 | 8.1%59th/193 · 2024 |
| Adult literacy % | 99.1%14th/98 · 2020 | 95.3%37th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 107.8%9th/150 · 2023 | 59.3%61st/150 · 2022 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.86547th/193 · 2023 | 0.78883rd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 42.493rd/108 · 2024 | 54.4108th/108 · 2024 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 1.0%50th/108 · 2024 | 8.5%82nd/108 · 2024 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 98.4%140th/215 · 2024 | 98.9%137th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 74.3%83rd/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 48.5%2016 | 18.7%129th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 89.7%59th/186 · 2024 | 79.3%104th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 14040th/210 · 2024 | 17415th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 26.172nd/208 · 2024 | 17.296th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.8063rd/164 · 2022 | 2.9058th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 17,86611th/82 · 2019 | — |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 21.1 m33rd/161 · 2023 | 42.4 m26th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 4.01135th/203 · 2024 | 1.8085th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 9.2%149th/212 · 2021 | 29.7%81st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 14.379th/200 · 2023 | 18.4103rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 17.1%141st/214 · 2024 | 53.7%45th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,73765th/149 · 2024 | 84497th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 58.079th/205 · 2025 | 50.4115th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 40.3125th/207 · 2025 | 41.8117th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 56.9102nd/207 · 2025 | 48.3140th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 68.4103rd/207 · 2025 | 48.9180th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 53.9102nd/205 · 2025 | 52.1113th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 65.973rd/205 · 2025 | 58.5100th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 4.596th/145 · 2023 | 24.9132nd/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $3.88 bn52nd/156 · 2025 | $14.50 bn29th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.6%142nd/156 · 2025 | 3.2%25th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 1.8%144th/154 · 2025 | 9.3%33rd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 103,00053rd/170 · 2020 | 428,00017th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.53%111th/168 · 2020 | 1.70%35th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 108.0 m47th/163 · 2025 | 22.0 m87th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.0 m2011 | 4.0 m2020 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.60%59th/110 · 2023 | 0.29%73rd/110 · 2020 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 44548th/137 · 2024 | 27057th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 8,58947th/197 · 2023 | 9,18445th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Argentina or Colombia?
Colombia has the larger population: 53.4 m (2025) compared with 45.9 m for Argentina (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Argentina or Colombia?
Argentina is larger: 2,780,400 km² (2024) compared with 1,140,619 km² for Colombia (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Argentina or Colombia?
Argentina has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.49 trn intl. (2025) compared with $1.21 trn intl. for Colombia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Argentina or Colombia?
Argentina has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $32,587 intl. (2025) compared with $22,640 intl. for Colombia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Argentina or Colombia?
Colombia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 77.9 years (2024) compared with 77.5 years for Argentina (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Argentina or Colombia?
Colombia spends more on the military: $14.50 bn (2025) compared with $3.88 bn for Argentina (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Argentina or Colombia?
Argentina: 54.6 points (72nd in the world); Colombia: 42.2 points (120th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Australia
Canada
Chile
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
Peru
VenezuelaSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Argentina vs Colombia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/argentina-vs-colombia. Data as of 26 October 2026.