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Estonia vs Latvia
Side-by-side comparison of Estonia and Latvia from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Estonia
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 108 years
Latvia
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 108 years
In short
Estonia scores 65.1 in the NationsTree Index (45th in the world) and Latvia scores 64.3 (49th), a gap of 0.8 points. Their trees are 5.2 m and 5.8 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Latvia has 35% more people than Estonia. Latvia has 42% more land area than Estonia. The economy of Latvia is 20% larger than that of Estonia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Estonia 1.4 million and Latvia 1.8 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $52,106 in Estonia and $46,137 in Latvia (2025, international dollars). People in Estonia live on average 2.9 years longer (79.3 vs 76.4 years).
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Estonia ranks higher in the world on 27 and Latvia on 10. Estonia is clearly stronger in institutions & safety.
Over the last five years Latvia improved faster (direction score 40 vs 29 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Estonia and Latvia.
Estonia
81%
142nd of 193
Latviabetter
97%
29th of 193
General government gross debtEconomy
Estoniabetter
24.0%
22nd of 189
Latvia
46.9%
78th of 189
Government budget balanceEconomy
Estoniabetter
-2.0%
77th of 192
Latvia
-4.0%
133rd of 192
Income inequality (Gini)Society & health
Estoniabetter
30.7
28th of 108
Latvia
34.0
55th of 108
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Estonia overtook Latvia in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Estonia overtook Latvia in life expectancy in 2005 and has stayed ahead since.
Estonia has been ahead of Latvia in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Latvia has been ahead of Estonia in 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
EstoniaLatvia 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 | Estonia | Latvia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 45,340130th/216 · 2024 | 64,590125th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 42,730130th/216 · 2024 | 62,230122nd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 1.4 m157th/217 · 2025 | 1.8 m150th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.43%196th/217 · 2025 | -0.99%209th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 32.1169th/216 · 2024 | 30.0172nd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 70.7%86th/217 · 2025 | 68.6%96th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 15.3%175th/217 · 2025 | 15.2%176th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 21.8%21st/217 · 2025 | 22.2%20th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $47.03 bn102nd/210 · 2025 | $48.62 bn100th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $71.20 bn118th/199 · 2025 | $85.25 bn109th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $56.85 bn120th/199 · 2025 | $71.70 bn109th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $34,41851st/210 · 2025 | $26,31264th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $52,10649th/199 · 2025 | $46,13757th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $32,31046th/201 · 2025 | $24,98058th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 0.6%185th/210 · 2025 | 2.1%141st/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 4.8%137th/180 · 2025 | 3.7%111th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 8.3%135th/187 · 2025 | 6.6%120th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 7.4%1994 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 24.0%22nd/189 · 2025 | 46.9%78th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.0%77th/192 · 2025 | -4.0%133rd/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.6%152nd/197 · 2025 | 4.0%114th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 19.7%128th/200 · 2025 | 18.7%133rd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 10.8%90th/192 · 2025 | 10.0%100th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 65.8%51st/200 · 2025 | 64.2%60th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $36.85 bn76th/182 · 2025 | $30.42 bn82nd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $36.40 bn73rd/182 · 2025 | $32.65 bn80th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 78.4%19th/183 · 2025 | 62.6%36th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 77.4%25th/183 · 2025 | 67.2%42nd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 155.8%18th/183 · 2025 | 129.7%34th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 7.6%61st/170 · 2025 | 8.5%56th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 65.1%47th/171 · 2025 | 55.5%62nd/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 12.5%103rd/171 · 2025 | 22.1%66th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.8%110th/171 · 2025 | 1.7%114th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 18.4%37th/168 · 2024 | 17.5%43rd/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 0.3%73rd/191 · 2025 | -5.3%143rd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | -2.2%189th/196 · 2025 | 0.8%149th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 1.7%102nd/209 · 2021 | 1.2%114th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.96%45th/197 · 2021 | 0.07%81st/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.76%61st/209 · 2021 | 1.10%52nd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 16.5%66th/206 · 2024 | 21.8%49th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 9,42348th/183 · 2022 | 9,01450th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.7 m76th/194 · 2020 | 3.2 m52nd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $865.0 m79th/175 · 2020 | $880.0 m2007 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 4.0%92nd/168 · 2020 | 7.3%2007 |
| Outbound trips departures | 558,00075th/107 · 2020 | 690,00070th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 79.356th/217 · 2024 | 76.495th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 2.02nd/196 · 2024 | 2.510th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.4746th/174 · 2022 | 3.4049th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 4.133rd/145 · 2023 | 5.024th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 81%142nd/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 98.7%11th/153 · 2023 | 98.7%12th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 108.5%28th/173 · 2024 | 101.3%57th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | — | 80.3%2009 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 34.6%21st/217 · 2025 | 35.4%17th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.8%65th/193 · 2024 | 7.3%80th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 99.9%2011 | 99.9%2011 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 65.7%55th/150 · 2024 | 82.9%21st/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.90536th/193 · 2023 | 0.88941st/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 30.728th/108 · 2023 | 34.055th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.3%23rd/108 · 2023 | 0.4%27th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 98.9%30th/150 · 2024 | 97.0%40th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 90.6%35th/144 · 2024 | 92.5%31st/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 92.2%43rd/186 · 2024 | 92.7%41st/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 15131st/210 · 2024 | 12185th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 35.443rd/208 · 2024 | 25.873rd/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.5038th/164 · 2022 | 3.3043rd/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 1,03365th/82 · 2017 | 1,85953rd/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 857160th/161 · 2019 | 4.5 m62nd/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 7.76175th/203 · 2024 | 3.65125th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 38.0%64th/212 · 2021 | 44.0%55th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 5.919th/200 · 2023 | 13.066th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 57.2%40th/214 · 2024 | 55.6%43rd/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 3,09833rd/149 · 2024 | 2,26351st/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 83.020th/205 · 2025 | 69.350th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 81.114th/207 · 2025 | 63.649th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 82.322nd/207 · 2025 | 76.332nd/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 81.250th/207 · 2025 | 79.857th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 79.118th/205 · 2025 | 73.130th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 82.417th/205 · 2025 | 78.327th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.560th/145 · 2023 | 2.577th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $1.58 bn70th/156 · 2025 | $1.73 bn68th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.4%20th/156 · 2025 | 3.6%16th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 7.5%44th/154 · 2025 | 8.2%39th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 7,000142nd/170 · 2020 | 9,000136th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.00%69th/168 · 2020 | 0.92%76th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 204.0 m38th/163 · 2025 | 19.0 m91st/163 · 2024 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 2.0 m56th/65 · 2024 | 1.0 m61st/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 1.84%21st/110 · 2023 | 0.82%46th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 2787th/137 · 2024 | 8474th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 1,75474th/197 · 2023 | 1,73675th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Estonia or Latvia?
Latvia has the larger population: 1.8 m (2025) compared with 1.4 m for Estonia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Estonia or Latvia?
Latvia is larger: 64,590 km² (2024) compared with 45,340 km² for Estonia (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Estonia or Latvia?
Latvia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $85.25 bn intl. (2025) compared with $71.20 bn intl. for Estonia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Estonia or Latvia?
Estonia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $52,106 intl. (2025) compared with $46,137 intl. for Latvia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Estonia or Latvia?
Estonia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 79.3 years (2024) compared with 76.4 years for Latvia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Estonia or Latvia?
Latvia spends more on the military: $1.73 bn (2025) compared with $1.58 bn for Estonia (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Estonia or Latvia?
Estonia: 65.1 points (45th in the world); Latvia: 64.3 points (49th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
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Cyprus
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LuxembourgSources
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). Estonia vs Latvia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/estonia-vs-latvia. Data as of 26 October 2026.