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Austria vs Czechia
France vs Germany
Side-by-side comparison of France and Germany from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
France
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,183 years
Germany
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,183 years
In short
Germany scores 76.6 in the NationsTree Index (14th in the world) and France scores 74.8 (21st), a gap of 1.8 points. Their trees are 44 m and 53 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Germany has 21% more people than France. France has 70% more land area than Germany. The economy of Germany is 43% larger than that of France (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: France 68.7 million and Germany 83.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $75,407 in Germany and $63,975 in France (2025, international dollars). People in France live on average 2.2 years longer (83.0 vs 80.8 years).
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, France ranks higher in the world on 12 and Germany on 25. Germany is clearly stronger in main industries, economy and institutions & safety.
Over the last five years France improved faster (direction score 33 vs 26 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between France and Germany.
France
7.5%
131st of 187
Germanybetter
3.7%
63rd of 187
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Francebetter
96%
48th of 193
Germany
89%
110th of 193
General government gross debtEconomy
France
115.5%
178th of 189
Germanybetter
62.7%
120th of 189
Extreme povertySociety & health
Francebetter
0.1%
10th of 108
Germany
0.7%
40th of 108
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Germany overtook France in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Germany has been ahead of France in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
France has been ahead of Germany 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
FranceGermany 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 | France | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 606,41045th/216 · 2024 | 357,68064th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 538,95048th/216 · 2024 | 349,43064th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 68.7 m23rd/217 · 2025 | 83.5 m19th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.25%158th/217 · 2025 | -0.03%170th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 127.288th/216 · 2024 | 239.058th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 78.8%65th/217 · 2025 | 82.1%52nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 16.2%162nd/217 · 2025 | 13.9%199th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 22.5%17th/217 · 2025 | 23.7%8th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $3.37 trn7th/210 · 2025 | $5.05 trn3rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $4.40 trn10th/199 · 2025 | $6.30 trn6th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $3.79 trn9th/199 · 2025 | $5.25 trn6th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $48,98634th/210 · 2025 | $60,49623rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $63,97534th/199 · 2025 | $75,40723rd/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $48,63029th/201 · 2025 | $60,20020th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 0.8%179th/210 · 2025 | 0.2%192nd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 0.9%34th/180 · 2025 | 2.2%64th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 7.5%131st/187 · 2025 | 3.7%63rd/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 20.9%1990 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 115.5%178th/189 · 2025 | 62.7%120th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -5.1%150th/192 · 2025 | -2.9%102nd/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.4%161st/197 · 2025 | 0.9%173rd/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 16.8%150th/200 · 2025 | 25.2%84th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 9.5%104th/192 · 2025 | 17.6%31st/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 70.9%32nd/200 · 2025 | 64.5%58th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $1.12 trn5th/182 · 2025 | $2.04 trn3rd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $1.14 trn5th/182 · 2025 | $1.92 trn3rd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 33.4%99th/183 · 2025 | 40.4%80th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 33.8%117th/183 · 2025 | 38.1%108th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 67.2%116th/183 · 2025 | 78.5%100th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 3.8%80th/170 · 2025 | 1.9%101st/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 78.5%23rd/171 · 2025 | 83.3%14th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 13.4%97th/171 · 2025 | 6.6%132nd/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.3%101st/171 · 2025 | 2.9%88th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 23.1%26th/168 · 2024 | 18.0%38th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -0.4%79th/191 · 2025 | 4.5%42nd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.8%111th/196 · 2025 | 1.9%106th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%168th/209 · 2021 | 0.1%161st/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.01%109th/197 · 2021 | 0.01%101st/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%96th/197 · 2021 | 0.02%76th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.01%48th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.03%139th/209 · 2021 | 0.03%136th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 31.3%26th/206 · 2024 | 33.4%22nd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 2,93386th/183 · 2022 | 1,286118th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 117.1 m1st/194 · 2020 | 12.4 m20th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $35.96 bn3rd/175 · 2020 | $58.37 bn2nd/175 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 4.8%87th/168 · 2020 | 3.5%98th/168 · 2019 |
| Outbound trips departures | 21.3 m11th/107 · 2020 | 99.5 m1st/107 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 83.024th/217 · 2024 | 80.848th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 4.335th/196 · 2024 | 3.726th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.2854th/174 · 2022 | 4.5315th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 5.718th/145 · 2022 | 7.66th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 96%48th/193 · 2024 | 89%110th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 91.6%44th/153 · 2023 | 94.8%29th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 103.8%47th/173 · 2024 | 100.2%62nd/173 · 2024 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 36.8%12th/217 · 2025 | 38.0%9th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 11.5%13th/193 · 2024 | 12.3%9th/193 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 71.5%46th/150 · 2024 | 76.7%37th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.92026th/193 · 2023 | 0.9595th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 31.834th/108 · 2023 | 33.750th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.1%10th/108 · 2023 | 0.7%40th/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 99.7%20th/150 · 2024 | 99.9%14th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 90.0%38th/144 · 2024 | 96.8%18th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 88.7%66th/186 · 2024 | 93.5%38th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 117100th/210 · 2023 | 12961st/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 48.97th/208 · 2024 | 45.612th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.8019th/164 · 2022 | 4.303rd/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 27,7167th/82 · 2021 | 33,4016th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 64.6 m18th/161 · 2023 | 80.2 m14th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 4.00134th/203 · 2024 | 6.94169th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 16.2%118th/212 · 2021 | 17.6%115th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 8.232nd/200 · 2023 | 8.838th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 32.9%106th/214 · 2024 | 32.8%107th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 3,18331st/149 · 2024 | 2,87439th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 77.130th/205 · 2025 | 82.821st/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 73.125th/207 · 2025 | 81.913th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 74.637th/207 · 2025 | 85.113th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 64.0122nd/207 · 2025 | 69.397th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 72.535th/205 · 2025 | 76.421st/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 79.026th/205 · 2025 | 86.09th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.354th/145 · 2023 | 0.938th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $68.01 bn9th/156 · 2025 | $113.59 bn4th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 2.0%62nd/156 · 2025 | 2.3%50th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.5%121st/154 · 2025 | 4.5%91st/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 304,00023rd/170 · 2020 | 183,00035th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.00%68th/168 · 2020 | 0.42%123rd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 236.0 m35th/163 · 2025 | 1.6 bn6th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 3.4 bn2nd/65 · 2025 | 1.7 bn7th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 2.18%17th/110 · 2023 | 3.15%10th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 12,7518th/137 · 2024 | 40,0856th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 62,18011th/197 · 2023 | 108,7824th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, France or Germany?
Germany has the larger population: 83.5 m (2025) compared with 68.7 m for France (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, France or Germany?
France is larger: 606,410 km² (2024) compared with 357,680 km² for Germany (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, France or Germany?
Germany has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $6.30 trn intl. (2025) compared with $4.40 trn intl. for France (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, France or Germany?
Germany has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $75,407 intl. (2025) compared with $63,975 intl. for France (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in France or Germany?
France has the higher life expectancy at birth: 83.0 years (2024) compared with 80.8 years for Germany (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, France or Germany?
Germany spends more on the military: $113.59 bn (2025) compared with $68.01 bn for France (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, France or Germany?
Germany: 76.6 points (14th in the world); France: 74.8 points (21st). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
South AfricaSources
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). France vs Germany — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/france-vs-germany. Data as of 26 October 2026.