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Colombia vs Venezuela
Side-by-side comparison of Colombia and Venezuela 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
Venezuela
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 215 years
In short
Colombia scores 42.2 in the NationsTree Index (120th in the world) and Venezuela scores 38.0 (136th), a gap of 4.2 points. Their trees are 19 m and 6.0 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Colombia has 87% more people than Venezuela. Colombia has 25% more land area than Venezuela. The economy of Colombia is 95% larger than that of Venezuela (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Colombia 53.4 million and Venezuela 28.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $22,640 in Colombia and $21,283 in Venezuela (2025, international dollars). People in Colombia live on average 5.2 years longer (77.9 vs 72.7 years).
Of 27 indicators reported by both countries, Colombia ranks higher in the world on 21 and Venezuela on 6. Colombia is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, trade and tourism.
As a nation, Colombia is the older of the two (statehood since 1810, 216 years), compared with Venezuela (since 1811). Over the last five years Venezuela improved faster (direction score 67 vs 11 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Colombia and Venezuela.
Colombia
98.9%
137th of 215
Venezuelabetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Voice & accountabilityInstitutions & safety
Colombiabetter
58.5
100th of 205
Venezuela
25.7
195th of 205
Regulatory qualityInstitutions & safety
Colombiabetter
52.1
113th of 205
Venezuela
21.3
203rd of 205
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Colombiabetter
89%
110th of 193
Venezuela
62%
182nd of 193
Life expectancySociety & health
Colombiabetter
77.9
74th of 217
Venezuela
72.7
129th of 217
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Colombia overtook Venezuela in life expectancy in 2003 and has stayed ahead since.
Colombia overtook Venezuela in the NationsTree Index in 2002 and has stayed ahead since.
Venezuela has been ahead of Colombia in GDP per person (PPP) and GDP (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Colombia has been ahead of Venezuela in 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
ColombiaVenezuela 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 | Venezuela |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 1,140,61925th/216 · 2024 | 912,05032nd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 1,109,50026th/216 · 2024 | 882,05032nd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 53.4 m28th/217 · 2025 | 28.5 m53rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.01%102nd/217 · 2025 | 0.39%148th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 47.7156th/216 · 2024 | 32.2168th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 78.8%66th/217 · 2025 | 89.3%33rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 20.0%123rd/217 · 2025 | 24.9%95th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 10.2%97th/217 · 2025 | 10.0%99th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $457.41 bn36th/210 · 2025 | $99.66 bn78th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.21 trn31st/199 · 2025 | $621.14 bn2011 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.00 trn31st/199 · 2025 | — |
| GDP per person USD | $8,562109th/210 · 2025 | $3,495155th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $22,64098th/199 · 2025 | $21,2832011 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $7,900103rd/201 · 2025 | $3,860142nd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 2.6%129th/210 · 2025 | 1.6%159th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 5.1%139th/180 · 2025 | 254.9%2016 |
| Unemployment % | 8.3%133rd/187 · 2025 | 5.3%97th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 71.2%38th/55 · 2024 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 59.9%115th/189 · 2025 | — |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -5.8%161st/192 · 2025 | -4.5%141st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 9.9%70th/197 · 2025 | 0.0%2011 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 21.8%117th/200 · 2025 | 0.0%2011 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 9.9%103rd/192 · 2025 | 0.0%2011 |
| Services % of GDP | 58.5%97th/200 · 2025 | 0.0%2011 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $68.54 bn57th/182 · 2025 | $14.85 bn98th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $93.24 bn52nd/182 · 2025 | $10.07 bn118th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 15.0%162nd/183 · 2025 | 14.9%163rd/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 20.4%165th/183 · 2025 | 10.1%182nd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 35.4%169th/183 · 2025 | 25.0%181st/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 34.9%27th/170 · 2025 | 97.7%2013 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 22.1%101st/171 · 2025 | 1.8%2013 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 25.4%56th/171 · 2025 | 0.0%2013 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 3.3%83rd/171 · 2025 | 0.4%2013 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 9.0%72nd/168 · 2024 | — |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -2.4%103rd/191 · 2025 | 0.6%71st/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 2.5%82nd/196 · 2025 | -0.5%184th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 5.3%70th/209 · 2021 | 11.8%2014 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 3.42%30th/197 · 2021 | 11.30%2014 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.18%54th/197 · 2021 | 0.38%2014 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.73%9th/195 · 2021 | 0.01%2014 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.91%47th/209 · 2021 | 0.11%2014 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.09%115th/209 · 2021 | 0.05%2014 |
| Arable land % of land area | 2.7%160th/206 · 2024 | 2.9%157th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 41,45913th/183 · 2022 | 28,53321st/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.4 m83rd/194 · 2020 | 429,000131st/194 · 2017 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.96 bn50th/175 · 2020 | $546.0 m94th/175 · 2016 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 5.1%84th/168 · 2020 | 1.8%133rd/168 · 2016 |
| Outbound trips departures | 1.3 m61st/107 · 2020 | 1.1 m64th/107 · 2017 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 77.974th/217 · 2024 | 72.7129th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 11.584th/196 · 2024 | 24.2130th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.5473rd/174 · 2023 | 1.662017 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.796th/145 · 2020 | 1.0119th/145 · 2020 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 89%110th/193 · 2024 | 62%182nd/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 62.7%97th/153 · 2024 | 70.9%2017 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 101.6%54th/173 · 2022 | 97.8%69th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 41.0%35th/55 · 2022 | 14.5%2006 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 14.6%100th/217 · 2025 | 15.4%96th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 8.1%59th/193 · 2024 | 3.8%159th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 95.3%37th/98 · 2024 | 97.2%2017 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 59.3%61st/150 · 2022 | 78.3%2009 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.78883rd/193 · 2023 | 0.709121st/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 54.4108th/108 · 2024 | 44.72006 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 8.5%82nd/108 · 2024 | 9.7%2006 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 98.9%137th/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 74.3%83rd/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 18.7%129th/144 · 2024 | 26.0%116th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 79.3%104th/186 · 2024 | 76.7%110th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 17415th/210 · 2024 | 71176th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 17.296th/208 · 2024 | 12.9106th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.9058th/164 · 2022 | 2.4096th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | — | 3362006 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 42.4 m26th/161 · 2023 | 1.8 m84th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 1.8085th/203 · 2024 | 3.39116th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 29.7%81st/212 · 2021 | 33.7%74th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 18.4103rd/200 · 2023 | 19.2110th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 53.7%45th/214 · 2024 | 53.4%47th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 84497th/149 · 2024 | 1,45777th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 50.4115th/205 · 2025 | 23.8192nd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 41.8117th/207 · 2025 | 16.9200th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 48.3140th/207 · 2025 | 22.4207th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 48.9180th/207 · 2025 | 39.2185th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 52.1113th/205 · 2025 | 21.3203rd/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 58.5100th/205 · 2025 | 25.7195th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 24.9132nd/145 · 2023 | 12.6123rd/145 · 2022 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $14.50 bn29th/156 · 2025 | $2.13 bn2017 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.2%25th/156 · 2025 | 2.2%2017 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 9.3%33rd/154 · 2025 | — |
| Armed forces personnel people | 428,00017th/170 · 2020 | 343,00018th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.70%35th/168 · 2020 | 3.47%13th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 22.0 m87th/163 · 2025 | 98.0 m49th/163 · 2023 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 4.0 m2020 | 40.0 m2009 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.29%73rd/110 · 2020 | 0.34%2014 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 27057th/137 · 2024 | 6379th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 9,18445th/197 · 2023 | 475103rd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Colombia or Venezuela?
Colombia has the larger population: 53.4 m (2025) compared with 28.5 m for Venezuela (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Colombia or Venezuela?
Colombia is larger: 1,140,619 km² (2024) compared with 912,050 km² for Venezuela (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Colombia or Venezuela?
Colombia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.21 trn intl. (2025) compared with $621.14 bn intl. for Venezuela (2011). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Colombia or Venezuela?
Colombia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $22,640 intl. (2025) compared with $21,283 intl. for Venezuela (2011). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Colombia or Venezuela?
Colombia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 77.9 years (2024) compared with 72.7 years for Venezuela (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Colombia or Venezuela?
Colombia spends more on the military: $14.50 bn (2025) compared with $2.13 bn for Venezuela (2017). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Colombia or Venezuela?
Colombia: 42.2 points (120th in the world); Venezuela: 38.0 points (136th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Chile
Mexico
Peru
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 Venezuela — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/colombia-vs-venezuela. Data as of 26 October 2026.