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Chile vs Colombia
Side-by-side comparison of Chile and Colombia from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Chile
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 216 years
Colombia
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 216 years
In short
Chile scores 64.1 in the NationsTree Index (50th in the world) and Colombia scores 42.2 (120th), a gap of 22.0 points. Their trees are 17 m and 19 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Colombia has 2.7 times the population of Chile. Colombia has 51% more land area than Chile. The economy of Colombia is 61% larger than that of Chile (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Chile 19.9 million and Colombia 53.4 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $37,774 in Chile and $22,640 in Colombia (2025, international dollars). People in Chile live on average 3.4 years longer (81.4 vs 77.9 years).
Of 39 indicators reported by both countries, Chile ranks higher in the world on 32 and Colombia on 7. Chile is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, society & health and infrastructure & digital. Colombia is clearly stronger in military and environment & energy.
Over the last five years Chile improved faster (direction score 37 vs 11 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Chile and Colombia.
Chilebetter
95.1%
24th of 144
Colombia
18.7%
129th of 144
Extreme povertySociety & health
Chilebetter
0.4%
27th of 108
Colombia
8.5%
82nd of 108
Social protection coverage (incl. pensions)Society & health
Chilebetter
85.6%
8th of 55
Colombia
41.0%
35th of 55
Rule of lawInstitutions & safety
Chilebetter
69.8
52nd of 207
Colombia
48.3
140th of 207
Internet usersInfrastructure & digital
Chilebetter
95.6%
25th of 186
Colombia
79.3%
104th of 186
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Chile overtook Colombia in GDP per person (PPP) in 1992 and has stayed ahead since.
Chile has been ahead of Colombia in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1996.
Colombia has been ahead of Chile in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Chile has been ahead of Colombia 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
ChileColombia 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 | Chile | Colombia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 756,55637th/216 · 2024 | 1,140,61925th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 742,03238th/216 · 2024 | 1,109,50026th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 19.9 m65th/217 · 2025 | 53.4 m28th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.48%136th/217 · 2025 | 1.01%102nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 26.6179th/216 · 2024 | 47.7156th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 89.2%34th/217 · 2025 | 78.8%66th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 16.5%158th/217 · 2025 | 20.0%123rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 14.6%69th/217 · 2025 | 10.2%97th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $357.37 bn45th/210 · 2025 | $457.41 bn36th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $750.19 bn42nd/199 · 2025 | $1.21 trn31st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $612.95 bn42nd/199 · 2025 | $1.00 trn31st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $17,99583rd/210 · 2025 | $8,562109th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $37,77468th/199 · 2025 | $22,64098th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $16,96074th/201 · 2025 | $7,900103rd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 2.5%133rd/210 · 2025 | 2.6%129th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 4.2%129th/180 · 2025 | 5.1%139th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 9.0%142nd/187 · 2025 | 8.3%133rd/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 13.1%2000 | 71.2%38th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 41.5%65th/189 · 2025 | 59.9%115th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.8%99th/192 · 2025 | -5.8%161st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 3.5%120th/197 · 2025 | 9.9%70th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 31.4%48th/200 · 2025 | 21.8%117th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 9.0%113th/192 · 2025 | 9.9%103rd/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 55.5%117th/200 · 2025 | 58.5%97th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $123.52 bn45th/182 · 2025 | $68.54 bn57th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $108.72 bn48th/182 · 2025 | $93.24 bn52nd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 34.6%98th/183 · 2025 | 15.0%162nd/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 30.4%131st/183 · 2025 | 20.4%165th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 65.0%119th/183 · 2025 | 35.4%169th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.9%122nd/170 · 2025 | 34.9%27th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 11.3%129th/171 · 2025 | 22.1%101st/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 21.9%67th/171 · 2025 | 25.4%56th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 58.6%4th/171 · 2025 | 3.3%83rd/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 8.6%76th/168 · 2024 | 9.0%72nd/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -1.2%95th/191 · 2025 | -2.4%103rd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 4.1%53rd/196 · 2025 | 2.5%82nd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 16.9%31st/209 · 2021 | 5.3%70th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.01%102nd/197 · 2021 | 3.42%30th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.02%75th/197 · 2021 | 0.18%54th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%66th/195 · 2021 | 0.73%9th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 16.23%5th/209 · 2021 | 0.91%47th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.64%65th/209 · 2021 | 0.09%115th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 1.9%172nd/206 · 2024 | 2.7%160th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 45,26212th/183 · 2022 | 41,45913th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 5.4 m34th/194 · 2019 | 1.4 m83rd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.03 bn72nd/175 · 2020 | $1.96 bn50th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 1.3%146th/168 · 2020 | 5.1%84th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 4.1 m32nd/107 · 2019 | 1.3 m61st/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 81.443rd/217 · 2024 | 77.974th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 6.854th/196 · 2024 | 11.584th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.3352nd/174 · 2023 | 2.5473rd/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.989th/145 · 2023 | 1.796th/145 · 2020 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 95%59th/193 · 2024 | 89%110th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 87.8%56th/153 · 2024 | 62.7%97th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 105.6%37th/173 · 2024 | 101.6%54th/173 · 2022 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 85.6%8th/55 · 2022 | 41.0%35th/55 · 2022 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 21.2%71st/217 · 2025 | 14.6%100th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 10.5%23rd/193 · 2024 | 8.1%59th/193 · 2024 |
| Adult literacy % | 96.4%2017 | 95.3%37th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 110.2%7th/150 · 2024 | 59.3%61st/150 · 2022 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.87845th/193 · 2023 | 0.78883rd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 43.095th/108 · 2024 | 54.4108th/108 · 2024 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.4%27th/108 · 2024 | 8.5%82nd/108 · 2024 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 99.0%135th/215 · 2024 | 98.9%137th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 97.8%38th/150 · 2024 | 74.3%83rd/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 95.1%24th/144 · 2024 | 18.7%129th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 95.6%25th/186 · 2024 | 79.3%104th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 13351st/210 · 2024 | 17415th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 23.779th/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 | 2,39648th/82 · 2021 | — |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 21.3 m32nd/161 · 2023 | 42.4 m26th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 3.94130th/203 · 2024 | 1.8085th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 24.2%94th/212 · 2021 | 29.7%81st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 23.1134th/200 · 2023 | 18.4103rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 24.5%120th/214 · 2024 | 53.7%45th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 2,06756th/149 · 2024 | 84497th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 73.738th/205 · 2025 | 50.4115th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 70.235th/207 · 2025 | 41.8117th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 69.852nd/207 · 2025 | 48.3140th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 68.6102nd/207 · 2025 | 48.9180th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 66.448th/205 · 2025 | 52.1113th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 76.738th/205 · 2025 | 58.5100th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 6.3103rd/145 · 2023 | 24.9132nd/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $5.33 bn47th/156 · 2025 | $14.50 bn29th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.5%88th/156 · 2025 | 3.2%25th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 5.7%67th/154 · 2025 | 9.3%33rd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 114,00051st/170 · 2020 | 428,00017th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.28%51st/168 · 2020 | 1.70%35th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 14.0 m99th/163 · 2025 | 22.0 m87th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 8.0 m49th/65 · 2022 | 4.0 m2020 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.39%66th/110 · 2022 | 0.29%73rd/110 · 2020 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 39051st/137 · 2024 | 27057th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 8,57348th/197 · 2023 | 9,18445th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Chile or Colombia?
Colombia has the larger population: 53.4 m (2025) compared with 19.9 m for Chile (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Chile or Colombia?
Colombia is larger: 1,140,619 km² (2024) compared with 756,556 km² for Chile (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Chile or Colombia?
Colombia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.21 trn intl. (2025) compared with $750.19 bn intl. for Chile (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Chile or Colombia?
Chile has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $37,774 intl. (2025) compared with $22,640 intl. for Colombia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Chile or Colombia?
Chile has the higher life expectancy at birth: 81.4 years (2024) compared with 77.9 years for Colombia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Chile or Colombia?
Colombia spends more on the military: $14.50 bn (2025) compared with $5.33 bn for Chile (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Chile or Colombia?
Chile: 64.1 points (50th 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.
Argentina
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). Chile vs Colombia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/chile-vs-colombia. Data as of 26 October 2026.