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Colombia vs Peru
Side-by-side comparison of Colombia and Peru from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Colombia
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 216 years
Peru
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 205 years
In short
Peru scores 47.7 in the NationsTree Index (96th in the world) and Colombia scores 42.2 (120th), a gap of 5.6 points. Their trees are 19 m and 15 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Colombia has 55% more people than Peru. Peru has 13% more land area than Colombia. The economy of Colombia is 86% larger than that of Peru (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Colombia 53.4 million and Peru 34.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $22,640 in Colombia and $18,816 in Peru (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 77.9 and 77.9 years.
Of 40 indicators reported by both countries, Colombia ranks higher in the world on 18 and Peru on 22. Colombia is clearly stronger in military, tourism and science & innovation. Peru is clearly stronger in economy.
As a nation, Colombia is the older of the two (statehood since 1810, 216 years), compared with Peru (since 1821). Over the last five years Peru improved faster (direction score 36 vs 11 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Colombia and Peru.
Colombia
5.1%
139th of 180
Perubetter
1.5%
49th of 180
Central government debtEconomy
Colombia
71.2%
38th of 55
Perubetter
35.2%
11th of 55
Social protection coverage (incl. pensions)Society & health
Colombia
41.0%
35th of 55
Perubetter
83.4%
9th of 55
Safely managed sanitationInfrastructure & digital
Colombia
18.7%
129th of 144
Perubetter
56.5%
78th of 144
Air pollution (PM2.5)Environment & energy
Colombiabetter
18.4
103rd of 200
Peru
31.1
154th of 200
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Peru overtook Colombia in the NationsTree Index in 2023 and has stayed ahead since.
Peru overtook Colombia in life expectancy in 2022 and has stayed ahead since.
Colombia has been ahead of Peru 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
ColombiaPeru 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 | Colombia | Peru |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 1,140,61925th/216 · 2024 | 1,285,21619th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 1,109,50026th/216 · 2024 | 1,280,00019th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 53.4 m28th/217 · 2025 | 34.6 m48th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.01%102nd/217 · 2025 | 1.04%99th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 47.7156th/216 · 2024 | 26.7178th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 78.8%66th/217 · 2025 | 85.6%46th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 20.0%123rd/217 · 2025 | 23.6%106th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 10.2%97th/217 · 2025 | 9.5%105th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $457.41 bn36th/210 · 2025 | $334.85 bn47th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.21 trn31st/199 · 2025 | $650.60 bn47th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.00 trn31st/199 · 2025 | $555.96 bn46th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $8,562109th/210 · 2025 | $9,684106th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $22,64098th/199 · 2025 | $18,816111th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $7,900103rd/201 · 2025 | $8,430100th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 2.6%129th/210 · 2025 | 3.4%101st/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 5.1%139th/180 · 2025 | 1.5%49th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 8.3%133rd/187 · 2025 | 5.1%93rd/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 71.2%38th/55 · 2024 | 35.2%11th/55 · 2021 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 59.9%115th/189 · 2025 | 30.1%34th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -5.8%161st/192 · 2025 | -2.4%88th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 9.9%70th/197 · 2025 | 7.5%88th/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 21.8%117th/200 · 2025 | 34.3%37th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 9.9%103rd/192 · 2025 | 12.2%77th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 58.5%97th/200 · 2025 | 50.9%141st/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $68.54 bn57th/182 · 2025 | $100.36 bn49th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $93.24 bn52nd/182 · 2025 | $73.15 bn56th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 15.0%162nd/183 · 2025 | 30.0%112th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 20.4%165th/183 · 2025 | 21.8%162nd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 35.4%169th/183 · 2025 | 51.8%139th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 34.9%27th/170 · 2025 | 5.7%70th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 22.1%101st/171 · 2025 | 7.4%140th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 25.4%56th/171 · 2025 | 21.2%72nd/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 3.3%83rd/171 · 2025 | 47.8%7th/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 9.0%72nd/168 · 2024 | 5.2%98th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -2.4%103rd/191 · 2025 | 3.5%47th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 2.5%82nd/196 · 2025 | 3.1%69th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 5.3%70th/209 · 2021 | 12.7%40th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 3.42%30th/197 · 2021 | 0.25%70th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.18%54th/197 · 2021 | 0.26%50th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.73%9th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%58th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.91%47th/209 · 2021 | 12.10%9th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.09%115th/209 · 2021 | 0.12%110th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 2.7%160th/206 · 2024 | 3.1%156th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 41,45913th/183 · 2022 | 49,02111th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.4 m83rd/194 · 2020 | 1.1 m92nd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.96 bn50th/175 · 2020 | $1.00 bn75th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 5.1%84th/168 · 2020 | 2.2%126th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 1.3 m61st/107 · 2020 | 791,00066th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 77.974th/217 · 2024 | 77.973rd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 11.584th/196 · 2024 | 12.989th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.5473rd/174 · 2023 | 1.6988th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.796th/145 · 2020 | 1.6100th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 89%110th/193 · 2024 | 80%145th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 62.7%97th/153 · 2024 | 63.7%94th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 101.6%54th/173 · 2022 | 108.3%30th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 41.0%35th/55 · 2022 | 83.4%9th/55 · 2022 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 14.6%100th/217 · 2025 | 14.1%102nd/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 8.1%59th/193 · 2024 | 5.6%114th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 95.3%37th/98 · 2024 | 93.7%44th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 59.3%61st/150 · 2022 | 71.2%2017 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.78883rd/193 · 2023 | 0.79479th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 54.4108th/108 · 2024 | 40.188th/108 · 2024 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 8.5%82nd/108 · 2024 | 5.1%75th/108 · 2024 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 98.9%137th/215 · 2024 | 96.5%147th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 74.3%83rd/150 · 2024 | 49.4%107th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 18.7%129th/144 · 2024 | 56.5%78th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 79.3%104th/186 · 2024 | 82.0%96th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 17415th/210 · 2024 | 12577th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 17.296th/208 · 2024 | 11.7114th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.9058th/164 · 2022 | 2.5085th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | — | 1,6391998 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 42.4 m26th/161 · 2023 | 17.7 m39th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 1.8085th/203 · 2024 | 2.0290th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 29.7%81st/212 · 2021 | 30.6%79th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 18.4103rd/200 · 2023 | 31.1154th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 53.7%45th/214 · 2024 | 52.7%51st/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 84497th/149 · 2024 | 840100th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 50.4115th/205 · 2025 | 49.4119th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 41.8117th/207 · 2025 | 32.8152nd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 48.3140th/207 · 2025 | 47.8146th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 48.9180th/207 · 2025 | 56.9154th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 52.1113th/205 · 2025 | 57.584th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 58.5100th/205 · 2025 | 56.7105th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 24.9132nd/145 · 2023 | 8.6113th/145 · 2021 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $14.50 bn29th/156 · 2025 | $2.60 bn60th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.2%25th/156 · 2025 | 0.8%128th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 9.3%33rd/154 · 2025 | 3.7%120th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 428,00017th/170 · 2020 | 158,00038th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.70%35th/168 · 2020 | 0.94%73rd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 22.0 m87th/163 · 2025 | 90.0 m50th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 4.0 m2020 | 5.0 m2004 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.29%73rd/110 · 2020 | 0.18%88th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 27057th/137 · 2024 | 21461st/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 9,18445th/197 · 2023 | 5,24259th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Colombia or Peru?
Colombia has the larger population: 53.4 m (2025) compared with 34.6 m for Peru (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Colombia or Peru?
Peru is larger: 1,285,216 km² (2024) compared with 1,140,619 km² for Colombia (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Colombia or Peru?
Colombia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.21 trn intl. (2025) compared with $650.60 bn intl. for Peru (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Colombia or Peru?
Colombia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $22,640 intl. (2025) compared with $18,816 intl. for Peru (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Colombia or Peru?
Peru has the higher life expectancy at birth: 77.9 years (2024) compared with 77.9 years for Colombia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Colombia or Peru?
Colombia spends more on the military: $14.50 bn (2025) compared with $2.60 bn for Peru (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Colombia or Peru?
Peru: 47.7 points (96th 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
Chile
Mexico
Venezuela
Dominican RepublicSources
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). Colombia vs Peru — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/colombia-vs-peru. Data as of 26 October 2026.