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Austria vs Czechia
France vs India
Side-by-side comparison of France and India 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
In short
France scores 74.8 in the NationsTree Index (21st in the world) and India scores 56.6 (64th), a gap of 18.2 points. Their trees are 44 m and 80 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
India has 21 times the population of France. India is 5.4 times larger than France by land area. India has an economy 3.9 times the size of France (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: France 68.7 million and India 1.5 billion (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $63,975 in France and $11,748 in India (2025, international dollars). People in France live on average 10.7 years longer (83.0 vs 72.2 years).
Of 38 indicators reported by both countries, France ranks higher in the world on 32 and India on 6. France is clearly stronger in society & health, institutions & safety and infrastructure & digital. India is clearly stronger in natural resources and main industries.
As a nation, India is the older of the two (statehood since 322 BC, 2,347 years), compared with France (since 843). Over the last five years India improved faster (direction score 97 vs 33 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between France and India.
Francebetter
8.2
32nd of 200
India
54.1
190th of 200
GDP growthEconomy
France
0.8%
179th of 210
Indiabetter
7.6%
15th of 210
Fixed broadbandInfrastructure & digital
Francebetter
48.9
7th of 208
India
3.2
147th of 208
GNI per person (Atlas)Economy
Francebetter
$48,630
29th of 201
India
$2,760
156th of 201
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Francebetter
100.0%
1st of 215
India
99.9%
123rd of 215
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
India overtook France in GDP (PPP) in 1992 and has stayed ahead since.
France has been ahead of India in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1993.
France has been ahead of India in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
India has been ahead of France 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
FranceIndia 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 | India |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 606,41045th/216 · 2024 | 3,287,2637th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 538,95048th/216 · 2024 | 2,973,1907th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 68.7 m23rd/217 · 2025 | 1.5 bn1st/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.25%158th/217 · 2025 | 0.89%109th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 127.288th/216 · 2024 | 488.025th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 78.8%65th/217 · 2025 | 35.7%182nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 16.2%162nd/217 · 2025 | 24.2%101st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 22.5%17th/217 · 2025 | 7.4%121st/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $3.37 trn7th/210 · 2025 | $3.96 trn6th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $4.40 trn10th/199 · 2025 | $17.20 trn3rd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $3.79 trn9th/199 · 2025 | $14.70 trn3rd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $48,98634th/210 · 2025 | $2,702166th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $63,97534th/199 · 2025 | $11,748136th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $48,63029th/201 · 2025 | $2,760156th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 0.8%179th/210 · 2025 | 7.6%15th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 0.9%34th/180 · 2025 | 2.4%75th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 7.5%131st/187 · 2025 | 4.2%71st/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 46.5%2018 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 115.5%178th/189 · 2025 | 84.3%153rd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -5.1%150th/192 · 2025 | -7.4%175th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.4%161st/197 · 2025 | 16.2%49th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 16.8%150th/200 · 2025 | 25.2%83rd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 9.5%104th/192 · 2025 | 13.5%57th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 70.9%32nd/200 · 2025 | 49.3%148th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $1.12 trn5th/182 · 2025 | $880.74 bn10th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $1.14 trn5th/182 · 2025 | $949.66 bn7th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 33.4%99th/183 · 2025 | 22.3%133rd/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 33.8%117th/183 · 2025 | 24.0%155th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 67.2%116th/183 · 2025 | 46.3%151st/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 3.8%80th/170 · 2025 | 13.1%42nd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 78.5%23rd/171 · 2025 | 70.1%41st/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 13.4%97th/171 · 2025 | 11.9%106th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.3%101st/171 · 2025 | 3.8%75th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 23.1%26th/168 · 2024 | 18.6%35th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -0.4%79th/191 · 2025 | -0.7%87th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.8%111th/196 · 2025 | 1.0%142nd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%168th/209 · 2021 | 3.2%85th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.01%109th/197 · 2021 | 0.33%60th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%96th/197 · 2021 | 0.08%62nd/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 1.28%5th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 1.32%41st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.03%139th/209 · 2021 | 0.16%102nd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 31.3%26th/206 · 2024 | 51.7%6th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 2,93386th/183 · 2022 | 1,014127th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 117.1 m1st/194 · 2020 | 17.9 m14th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $35.96 bn3rd/175 · 2020 | $13.41 bn13th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 4.8%87th/168 · 2020 | 2.8%112th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 21.3 m11th/107 · 2020 | 26.9 m7th/107 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 83.024th/217 · 2024 | 72.2137th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 4.335th/196 · 2024 | 26.6134th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.2854th/174 · 2022 | 0.72115th/174 · 2020 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 5.718th/145 · 2022 | 1.698th/145 · 2021 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 96%48th/193 · 2024 | 94%66th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 91.6%44th/153 · 2023 | 52.7%111th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 103.8%47th/173 · 2024 | 79.6%128th/173 · 2025 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | — | 77.2%2011 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 36.8%12th/217 · 2025 | 10.8%125th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 11.5%13th/193 · 2024 | 3.3%171st/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | — | 78.2%69th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 71.5%46th/150 · 2024 | 34.4%103rd/150 · 2025 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.92026th/193 · 2023 | 0.685130th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 31.834th/108 · 2023 | 23.01st/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.1%10th/108 · 2023 | 2.6%68th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 99.9%123rd/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 99.7%20th/150 · 2024 | 76.4%79th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 90.0%38th/144 · 2024 | 62.8%69th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 88.7%66th/186 · 2024 | 70.0%124th/186 · 2025 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 117100th/210 · 2023 | 79167th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 48.97th/208 · 2024 | 3.2147th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.8019th/164 · 2022 | 3.2046th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 27,7167th/82 · 2021 | 68,1034th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 64.6 m18th/161 · 2023 | 180.4 m4th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 4.00134th/203 · 2024 | 2.1793rd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 16.2%118th/212 · 2021 | 34.9%69th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 8.232nd/200 · 2023 | 54.1190th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 32.9%106th/214 · 2024 | 24.4%121st/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 3,18331st/149 · 2024 | 777107th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 77.130th/205 · 2025 | 62.664th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 73.125th/207 · 2025 | 42.4112th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 74.637th/207 · 2025 | 56.5106th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 64.0122nd/207 · 2025 | 55.0162nd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 72.535th/205 · 2025 | 52.6109th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 79.026th/205 · 2025 | 54.9110th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.354th/145 · 2023 | 2.883rd/145 · 2022 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $68.01 bn9th/156 · 2025 | $92.06 bn5th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 2.0%62nd/156 · 2025 | 2.3%47th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.5%121st/154 · 2025 | 8.2%38th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 304,00023rd/170 · 2020 | 3.1 m1st/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.00%68th/168 · 2020 | 0.58%103rd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 236.0 m35th/163 · 2025 | 2.9 bn2nd/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 3.4 bn2nd/65 · 2025 | 81.0 m28th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 2.18%17th/110 · 2023 | 0.65%56th/110 · 2020 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 12,7518th/137 · 2024 | 63,2175th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 62,18011th/197 · 2023 | 228,1743rd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, France or India?
India has the larger population: 1.5 bn (2025) compared with 68.7 m for France (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, France or India?
India is larger: 3,287,263 km² (2024) compared with 606,410 km² for France (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, France or India?
India has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $17.20 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 India?
France has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $63,975 intl. (2025) compared with $11,748 intl. for India (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in France or India?
France has the higher life expectancy at birth: 83.0 years (2024) compared with 72.2 years for India (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, France or India?
India spends more on the military: $92.06 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 India?
France: 74.8 points (21st in the world); India: 56.6 points (64th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
South Africa
Bangladesh
Bhutan
NepalSources
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 India — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/france-vs-india. Data as of 26 October 2026.