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Bangladesh vs Nepal
Side-by-side comparison of Bangladesh and Nepal from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
In short
Nepal scores 44.6 in the NationsTree Index (111th in the world) and Bangladesh scores 43.6 (115th), a gap of 1.0 points. Their trees are 24 m and 7.8 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Bangladesh has 5.9 times the population of Nepal. Bangladesh and Nepal have a similar land area. Bangladesh has an economy 9.8 times the size of Nepal (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Bangladesh 175.7 million and Nepal 29.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $10,154 in Bangladesh and $6,175 in Nepal (2025, international dollars). People in Bangladesh live on average 4.3 years longer (74.9 vs 70.6 years).
Of 34 indicators reported by both countries, Bangladesh ranks higher in the world on 15 and Nepal on 19. Bangladesh is clearly stronger in main industries. Nepal is clearly stronger in tourism, environment & energy and institutions & safety.
As a nation, Nepal is the older of the two (statehood since 1768, 258 years), compared with Bangladesh (since 1971). Over the last five years Nepal improved faster (direction score 97 vs 66 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Bangladesh and Nepal.
Bangladesh
620
150th of 183
Nepalbetter
6,670
59th of 183
UnemploymentEconomy
Bangladeshbetter
3.8%
65th of 187
Nepal
10.5%
152nd of 187
InflationEconomy
Bangladesh
8.8%
156th of 180
Nepalbetter
2.7%
81st of 180
Renewable energyEnvironment & energy
Bangladesh
25.0%
92nd of 212
Nepalbetter
73.7%
24th of 212
Safely managed drinking waterInfrastructure & digital
Bangladeshbetter
59.1%
103rd of 150
Nepal
16.5%
143rd of 150
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Nepal overtook Bangladesh in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Bangladesh overtook Nepal in life expectancy in 2002 and has stayed ahead since.
Bangladesh has been ahead of Nepal in GDP per person (PPP), 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
BangladeshNepal 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 | Bangladesh | Nepal |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 147,57093rd/216 · 2024 | 147,18194th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 130,17095th/216 · 2024 | 143,35093rd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 175.7 m8th/217 · 2025 | 29.6 m52nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.22%86th/217 · 2025 | -0.11%179th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 1,333.49th/216 · 2024 | 206.866th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 33.2%187th/217 · 2025 | 67.0%99th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 27.6%82nd/217 · 2025 | 28.1%81st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 6.7%130th/217 · 2025 | 6.6%133rd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $456.32 bn37th/210 · 2025 | $45.49 bn103rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.78 trn25th/199 · 2025 | $182.90 bn82nd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.52 trn25th/199 · 2025 | $156.29 bn82nd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $2,597168th/210 · 2025 | $1,536182nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $10,154140th/199 · 2025 | $6,175159th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $2,840153rd/201 · 2025 | $1,570172nd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.5%97th/210 · 2025 | 4.4%65th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 8.8%156th/180 · 2025 | 2.7%81st/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.8%65th/187 · 2025 | 10.5%152nd/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 31.2%2003 | 39.9%16th/55 · 2021 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 42.0%66th/189 · 2025 | 47.4%80th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.1%110th/192 · 2025 | -1.8%71st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 11.4%65th/197 · 2025 | 21.6%32nd/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 34.0%38th/200 · 2025 | 12.1%174th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 22.4%12th/192 · 2025 | 5.0%152nd/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 52.1%136th/200 · 2025 | 54.4%124th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $50.72 bn65th/182 · 2025 | $4.02 bn137th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $76.82 bn53rd/182 · 2025 | $15.34 bn103rd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 11.1%172nd/183 · 2025 | 8.8%178th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 16.8%174th/183 · 2025 | 33.7%118th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 28.0%178th/183 · 2025 | 42.6%156th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 1.1%2018 | 0.0%158th/170 · 2022 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 94.5%2018 | 47.5%68th/171 · 2022 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 3.4%2018 | 49.4%31st/171 · 2022 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.3%2018 | 1.4%121st/171 · 2022 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 0.5%2018 | 0.6%152nd/168 · 2022 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 0.0%76th/191 · 2025 | 6.6%28th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.4%165th/196 · 2025 | 0.1%173rd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.6%126th/209 · 2021 | 0.5%132nd/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.03%90th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.49%39th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.01%50th/195 · 2021 | 0.01%55th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.08%120th/209 · 2021 | 0.49%69th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 60.5%1st/206 · 2024 | 12.6%83rd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 620150th/183 · 2022 | 6,67059th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 323,000142nd/194 · 2019 | 230,000148th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $217.9 m122nd/175 · 2020 | $238.0 m117th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 0.6%160th/168 · 2020 | 13.4%45th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 1.5 m2013 | 1.2 m62nd/107 · 2017 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 74.9107th/217 · 2024 | 70.6150th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 30.5139th/196 · 2024 | 25.1131st/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.72116th/174 · 2023 | 1.01106th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.9123rd/145 · 2023 | 0.5135th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 48.6%117th/153 · 2021 | 33.9%127th/153 · 2021 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 64.3%142nd/173 · 2024 | 90.4%102nd/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 55.6%25th/55 · 2022 | 43.5%2010 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 10.2%130th/217 · 2025 | 10.1%131st/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 2.2%192nd/193 · 2023 | 6.2%100th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 79.0%66th/98 · 2022 | 68.7%2019 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 23.7%114th/150 · 2024 | 21.3%121st/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.685130th/193 · 2023 | 0.622145th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 30.929th/108 · 2022 | 30.024th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 5.9%79th/108 · 2022 | 2.4%65th/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 99.5%131st/215 · 2024 | 97.9%142nd/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 59.1%103rd/150 · 2024 | 16.5%143rd/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 37.3%100th/144 · 2024 | 53.4%80th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 53.4%146th/186 · 2024 | 46.3%151st/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 108126th/210 · 2024 | 100138th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 8.1126th/208 · 2024 | 10.1119th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.30117th/164 · 2022 | 2.19139th/164 · 2018 |
| Rail lines route-km | 2,87743rd/82 · 2019 | — |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 6.6 m55th/161 · 2023 | 4.3 m64th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.7252nd/203 · 2024 | 0.5444th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 25.0%92nd/212 · 2021 | 73.7%24th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 69.3198th/200 · 2023 | 53.2189th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 14.4%147th/214 · 2024 | 43.6%70th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 288145th/149 · 2024 | 451123rd/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 43.2141st/205 · 2025 | 36.6162nd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 28.2168th/207 · 2025 | 32.5153rd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 43.6156th/207 · 2025 | 53.6117th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 49.1178th/207 · 2025 | 57.8149th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 39.4173rd/205 · 2025 | 44.2149th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 44.5138th/205 · 2025 | 54.6112th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 2.32018 | 2.169th/145 · 2020 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $3.83 bn53rd/156 · 2025 | $428.3 m108th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.8%129th/156 · 2025 | 1.0%117th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 7.1%46th/154 · 2025 | 4.5%93rd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 227,00029th/170 · 2020 | 112,00052nd/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.32%143rd/168 · 2020 | 1.40%44th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 32.0 m75th/163 · 2025 | 6.0 m125th/163 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.30%2010 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 8773rd/137 · 2024 | 202017 |
| Scientific articles articles | 8,25950th/197 · 2023 | 1,59177th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Bangladesh or Nepal?
Bangladesh has the larger population: 175.7 m (2025) compared with 29.6 m for Nepal (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Bangladesh or Nepal?
Bangladesh is larger: 147,570 km² (2024) compared with 147,181 km² for Nepal (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Bangladesh or Nepal?
Bangladesh has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.78 trn intl. (2025) compared with $182.90 bn intl. for Nepal (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Bangladesh or Nepal?
Bangladesh has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $10,154 intl. (2025) compared with $6,175 intl. for Nepal (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Bangladesh or Nepal?
Bangladesh has the higher life expectancy at birth: 74.9 years (2024) compared with 70.6 years for Nepal (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Bangladesh or Nepal?
Bangladesh spends more on the military: $3.83 bn (2025) compared with $428.3 m for Nepal (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Bangladesh or Nepal?
Nepal: 44.6 points (111th in the world); Bangladesh: 43.6 points (115th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Bhutan
Sri LankaSources
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). Bangladesh vs Nepal — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/bangladesh-vs-nepal. Data as of 26 October 2026.