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Austria vs Czechia
Australia vs France
Side-by-side comparison of Australia and France from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Australia
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 125 years
France
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,183 years
In short
Australia scores 77.1 in the NationsTree Index (10th in the world) and France scores 74.8 (21st), a gap of 2.3 points. Their trees are 30 m and 44 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
France has 2.5 times the population of Australia. Australia is 13 times larger than France by land area. France has an economy 2.2 times the size of Australia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Australia 27.6 million and France 68.7 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $71,934 in Australia and $63,975 in France (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 83.1 and 83.0 years.
Of 33 indicators reported by both countries, Australia ranks higher in the world on 27 and France on 6. Australia is clearly stronger in natural resources and institutions & safety. France is clearly stronger in tourism and military.
As a nation, France is the older of the two (statehood since 843, 1,183 years), compared with Australia (since 1901). Over the last five years Australia improved faster (direction score 34 vs 33 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Australia and France.
Australiabetter
51.9%
88th of 189
France
115.5%
178th of 189
UnemploymentEconomy
Australiabetter
4.1%
69th of 187
France
7.5%
131st of 187
Political stabilityInstitutions & safety
Australiabetter
79.3
60th of 207
France
64.0
122nd of 207
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Australiabetter
18,909
32nd of 183
France
2,933
86th of 183
CO₂ emissions per personEnvironment & energy
Australia
14.10
192nd of 203
Francebetter
4.00
134th of 203
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Australia overtook France in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Australia overtook France in life expectancy in 2018 and has stayed ahead since.
Australia overtook France in GDP per person (PPP) in 1993 and has stayed ahead since.
France has been ahead of Australia in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
AustraliaFrance 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 | Australia | France |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 7,741,2206th/216 · 2024 | 606,41045th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 7,688,2876th/216 · 2024 | 538,95048th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 27.6 m55th/217 · 2025 | 68.7 m23rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.53%69th/217 · 2025 | 0.25%158th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 3.5214th/216 · 2024 | 127.288th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 87.7%41st/217 · 2025 | 78.8%65th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 17.7%144th/217 · 2025 | 16.2%162nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 18.1%48th/217 · 2025 | 22.5%17th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $1.80 trn15th/210 · 2025 | $3.37 trn7th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.99 trn20th/199 · 2025 | $4.40 trn10th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.66 trn21st/199 · 2025 | $3.79 trn9th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $65,13019th/210 · 2025 | $48,98634th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $71,93428th/199 · 2025 | $63,97534th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $64,12016th/201 · 2025 | $48,63029th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.4%163rd/210 · 2025 | 0.8%179th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.9%85th/180 · 2025 | 0.9%34th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 4.1%69th/187 · 2025 | 7.5%131st/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 57.9%29th/55 · 2022 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 51.9%88th/189 · 2025 | 115.5%178th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.9%102nd/192 · 2025 | -5.1%150th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 2.3%144th/197 · 2025 | 1.4%161st/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 23.9%100th/200 · 2025 | 16.8%150th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 5.3%149th/192 · 2025 | 9.5%104th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 67.5%44th/200 · 2025 | 70.9%32nd/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $418.06 bn23rd/182 · 2025 | $1.12 trn5th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $407.49 bn22nd/182 · 2025 | $1.14 trn5th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 23.2%130th/183 · 2025 | 33.4%99th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 22.7%159th/183 · 2025 | 33.8%117th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 45.9%153rd/183 · 2025 | 67.2%116th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 26.9%31st/170 · 2025 | 3.8%80th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 9.8%134th/171 · 2025 | 78.5%23rd/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 13.7%95th/171 · 2025 | 13.4%97th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 34.6%12th/171 · 2025 | 2.3%101st/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 25.2%22nd/168 · 2024 | 23.1%26th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -2.6%107th/191 · 2025 | -0.4%79th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 2.1%97th/196 · 2025 | 1.8%111th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 13.4%37th/209 · 2021 | 0.0%168th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.26%69th/197 · 2021 | 0.01%109th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 1.72%25th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%96th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.79%8th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 10.47%11th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.12%108th/209 · 2021 | 0.03%139th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 4.1%145th/206 · 2024 | 31.3%26th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 18,90932nd/183 · 2022 | 2,93386th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.8 m74th/194 · 2020 | 117.1 m1st/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $26.23 bn5th/175 · 2020 | $35.96 bn3rd/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 8.7%65th/168 · 2020 | 4.8%87th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 2.8 m42nd/107 · 2020 | 21.3 m11th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 83.122nd/217 · 2024 | 83.024th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 3.625th/196 · 2024 | 4.335th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 4.0929th/174 · 2022 | 3.2854th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.82016 | 5.718th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 93%81st/193 · 2024 | 96%48th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 93.2%37th/153 · 2024 | 91.6%44th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 131.9%8th/173 · 2024 | 103.8%47th/173 · 2024 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 28.2%48th/217 · 2025 | 36.8%12th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 10.4%25th/193 · 2023 | 11.5%13th/193 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 108.4%8th/150 · 2024 | 71.5%46th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.9587th/193 · 2023 | 0.92026th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 33.82020 | 31.834th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.9%2020 | 0.1%10th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 99.7%20th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 95.8%22nd/144 · 2024 | 90.0%38th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 96.1%19th/186 · 2024 | 88.7%66th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 113113th/210 · 2024 | 117100th/210 · 2023 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 36.537th/208 · 2024 | 48.97th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 4.109th/164 · 2022 | 3.8019th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | — | 27,7167th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 69.0 m17th/161 · 2023 | 64.6 m18th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 14.10192nd/203 · 2024 | 4.00134th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 12.3%130th/212 · 2021 | 16.2%118th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 6.420th/200 · 2023 | 8.232nd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 17.4%138th/214 · 2024 | 32.9%106th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 5,00016th/149 · 2024 | 3,18331st/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 88.211th/205 · 2025 | 77.130th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 85.110th/207 · 2025 | 73.125th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 82.720th/207 · 2025 | 74.637th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 79.360th/207 · 2025 | 64.0122nd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 84.25th/205 · 2025 | 72.535th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 83.715th/205 · 2025 | 79.026th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.934th/145 · 2023 | 1.354th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $35.33 bn17th/156 · 2025 | $68.01 bn9th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.9%68th/156 · 2025 | 2.0%62nd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 4.9%82nd/154 · 2025 | 3.5%121st/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 60,00064th/170 · 2020 | 304,00023rd/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.44%122nd/168 · 2020 | 1.00%68th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 826.0 m11th/163 · 2025 | 236.0 m35th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 108.0 m26th/65 · 2025 | 3.4 bn2nd/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 1.86%19th/110 · 2021 | 2.18%17th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 2,54218th/137 · 2024 | 12,7518th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 54,58915th/197 · 2023 | 62,18011th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Australia or France?
France has the larger population: 68.7 m (2025) compared with 27.6 m for Australia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Australia or France?
Australia is larger: 7,741,220 km² (2024) compared with 606,410 km² for France (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Australia or France?
France has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $4.40 trn intl. (2025) compared with $1.99 trn intl. for Australia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Australia or France?
Australia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $71,934 intl. (2025) compared with $63,975 intl. for France (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Australia or France?
Australia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 83.1 years (2024) compared with 83.0 years for France (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Australia or France?
France spends more on the military: $68.01 bn (2025) compared with $35.33 bn for Australia (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Australia or France?
Australia: 77.1 points (10th in the world); France: 74.8 points (21st). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Canada
Indonesia
Italy
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand
Philippines
South AfricaSources
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). Australia vs France — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/australia-vs-france. Data as of 26 October 2026.