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Canada vs United Kingdom
Side-by-side comparison of Canada and United Kingdom from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
United Kingdom
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,099 years
In short
Canada scores 76.0 in the NationsTree Index (16th in the world) and United Kingdom scores 74.6 (22nd), a gap of 1.5 points. Their trees are 36 m and 44 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
United Kingdom has 67% more people than Canada. Canada is 64 times larger than United Kingdom by land area. The economy of United Kingdom is 61% larger than that of Canada (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Canada 41.7 million and United Kingdom 69.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $66,746 in Canada and $64,606 in United Kingdom (2025, international dollars). People in Canada live on average 0.7 years longer (82.1 vs 81.4 years).
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Canada ranks higher in the world on 20 and United Kingdom on 17. Canada is clearly stronger in natural resources, environment & energy and main industries. United Kingdom is clearly stronger in military.
As a nation, United Kingdom is the older of the two (statehood since 927, 1,099 years), compared with Canada (since 1867). Over the last five years Canada improved faster (direction score 46 vs 15 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Canada and United Kingdom.
Canadabetter
73,170
6th of 183
United Kingdom
2,144
103rd of 183
Government budget balanceEconomy
Canadabetter
-1.7%
68th of 192
United Kingdom
-5.3%
154th of 192
Central government debtEconomy
Canadabetter
64.1%
33rd of 55
United Kingdom
130.7%
54th of 55
CO₂ emissions per personEnvironment & energy
Canada
14.01
191st of 203
United Kingdombetter
4.22
139th of 203
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Canada overtook United Kingdom in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Canada overtook United Kingdom in GDP per person (PPP) in 2021 and has stayed ahead since.
United Kingdom has been ahead of Canada in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Canada has been ahead of United Kingdom in life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
CanadaUnited Kingdom 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 | Canada | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 15,634,4102nd/216 · 2024 | 243,61079th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 8,788,7004th/216 · 2024 | 241,93079th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 41.7 m38th/217 · 2025 | 69.5 m22nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.94%104th/217 · 2025 | 0.30%154th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 4.7207th/216 · 2024 | 286.444th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 82.9%51st/217 · 2025 | 83.3%50th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 15.0%180th/217 · 2025 | 17.0%155th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 20.3%37th/217 · 2025 | 19.7%39th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $2.32 trn10th/210 · 2025 | $4.00 trn5th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $2.78 trn16th/199 · 2025 | $4.49 trn9th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $2.42 trn16th/199 · 2025 | $3.75 trn10th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $55,69830th/210 · 2025 | $57,60227th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $66,74630th/199 · 2025 | $64,60632nd/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $56,42022nd/201 · 2025 | $54,55025th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.7%155th/210 · 2025 | 1.4%162nd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.1%60th/180 · 2025 | 3.9%118th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 6.9%125th/187 · 2025 | 4.7%80th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 64.1%33rd/55 · 2024 | 130.7%54th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 113.6%176th/189 · 2025 | 102.1%171st/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -1.7%68th/192 · 2025 | -5.3%154th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.9%148th/197 · 2022 | 0.6%179th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 27.4%68th/200 · 2022 | 16.5%152nd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 9.3%109th/192 · 2022 | 7.7%128th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 64.1%61st/200 · 2022 | 73.1%21st/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $726.88 bn15th/182 · 2025 | $1.22 trn4th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $746.50 bn13th/182 · 2025 | $1.28 trn4th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 31.3%110th/183 · 2025 | 30.6%111th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 32.2%125th/183 · 2025 | 31.9%126th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 63.5%121st/183 · 2025 | 62.5%124th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 26.7%32nd/170 · 2025 | 7.2%63rd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 40.3%74th/171 · 2025 | 59.7%55th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 13.6%96th/171 · 2025 | 6.7%131st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 7.6%48th/171 · 2025 | 5.7%59th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 16.1%46th/168 · 2024 | 29.2%17th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -0.9%90th/191 · 2025 | -3.0%116th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.0%71st/196 · 2025 | 0.9%147th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 4.9%73rd/209 · 2021 | 0.6%127th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 2.83%33rd/197 · 2021 | 0.42%56th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.79%33rd/197 · 2021 | 0.17%55th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.07%32nd/195 · 2021 | 0.00%60th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 1.18%43rd/209 · 2021 | 0.00%90th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.07%123rd/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 4.3%141st/206 · 2024 | 25.3%39th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 73,1706th/183 · 2022 | 2,144103rd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 32.4 m9th/194 · 2019 | 11.1 m22nd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $19.99 bn2011 | $31.66 bn1998 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 3.7%2011 | 8.2%1998 |
| Outbound trips departures | 37.8 m4th/107 · 2019 | 23.8 m8th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 82.134th/217 · 2024 | 81.442nd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.443rd/196 · 2024 | 4.736th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.8264th/174 · 2023 | 3.3053rd/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.570th/145 · 2022 | 2.475th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 92%86th/193 · 2024 | 92%86th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 96.4%22nd/153 · 2024 | 99.8%3rd/153 · 2021 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 104.3%44th/173 · 2023 | 112.1%23rd/173 · 2023 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 31.3%36th/217 · 2025 | 31.1%38th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 11.3%14th/193 · 2024 | 11.1%16th/193 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 76.3%39th/150 · 2023 | 80.4%26th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.93916th/193 · 2023 | 0.94613th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 31.533rd/108 · 2022 | 32.437th/108 · 2021 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.3%23rd/108 · 2022 | 0.4%27th/108 · 2021 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 96.9%41st/150 · 2024 | 99.8%17th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 81.3%47th/144 · 2024 | 97.8%13th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 94.4%32nd/186 · 2024 | 95.5%26th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 94151st/210 · 2024 | 12284th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 42.521st/208 · 2024 | 42.222nd/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 4.303rd/164 · 2022 | 3.7024th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 48,1505th/82 · 2021 | 16,17913th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 88.6 m13th/161 · 2023 | 118.9 m7th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 14.01191st/203 · 2024 | 4.22139th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 23.8%96th/212 · 2021 | 12.2%131st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 6.622nd/200 · 2023 | 9.543rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 42.0%74th/214 · 2024 | 13.5%149th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 7,1198th/149 · 2024 | 2,09555th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 88.310th/205 · 2025 | 77.628th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 80.216th/207 · 2025 | 78.918th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 83.019th/207 · 2025 | 79.526th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 79.855th/207 · 2025 | 70.792nd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 80.315th/205 · 2025 | 80.614th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 85.211th/205 · 2025 | 81.319th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 2.066th/145 · 2023 | 1.147th/145 · 2021 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $37.49 bn16th/156 · 2025 | $88.98 bn6th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.6%82nd/156 · 2025 | 2.4%45th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.7%118th/154 · 2025 | 5.4%73rd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 72,00058th/170 · 2020 | 153,00041st/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.35%139th/168 · 2020 | 0.45%121st/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 83.0 m53rd/163 · 2025 | 609.0 m16th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 312.0 m14th/65 · 2025 | 702.0 m9th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 1.79%24th/110 · 2024 | 2.68%13th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 4,30415th/137 · 2024 | 11,1059th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 63,72010th/197 · 2023 | 97,5365th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Canada or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has the larger population: 69.5 m (2025) compared with 41.7 m for Canada (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Canada or United Kingdom?
Canada is larger: 15,634,410 km² (2024) compared with 243,610 km² for United Kingdom (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Canada or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $4.49 trn intl. (2025) compared with $2.78 trn intl. for Canada (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Canada or United Kingdom?
Canada has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $66,746 intl. (2025) compared with $64,606 intl. for United Kingdom (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Canada or United Kingdom?
Canada has the higher life expectancy at birth: 82.1 years (2024) compared with 81.4 years for United Kingdom (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Canada or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom spends more on the military: $88.98 bn (2025) compared with $37.49 bn for Canada (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Canada or United Kingdom?
Canada: 76.0 points (16th in the world); United Kingdom: 74.6 points (22nd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Australia
Bermuda
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
IrelandSources
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). Canada vs United Kingdom — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/canada-vs-united-kingdom. Data as of 26 October 2026.