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Indonesia vs Thailand
Side-by-side comparison of Indonesia and Thailand from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Indonesia
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 81 years
Thailand
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 788 years
In short
Thailand scores 61.9 in the NationsTree Index (53rd in the world) and Indonesia scores 56.1 (65th), a gap of 5.8 points. Their trees are 43 m and 27 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Indonesia has 4.0 times the population of Thailand. Indonesia is 3.7 times larger than Thailand by land area. Indonesia has an economy 2.7 times the size of Thailand (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Indonesia 285.7 million and Thailand 71.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $26,250 in Thailand and $17,660 in Indonesia (2025, international dollars). People in Thailand live on average 5.3 years longer (76.6 vs 71.3 years).
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Indonesia ranks higher in the world on 10 and Thailand on 27. Indonesia is clearly stronger in land & people. Thailand is clearly stronger in tourism, trade and infrastructure & digital.
As a nation, Thailand is the older of the two (statehood since 1238, 788 years), compared with Indonesia (since 1945). Over the last five years Indonesia improved faster (direction score 82 vs 59 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Indonesia and Thailand.
Indonesia
3.7%
72nd of 108
Thailandbetter
0.0%
1st of 108
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Indonesia
99.9%
123rd of 215
Thailandbetter
100.0%
1st of 215
GDP growthEconomy
Indonesiabetter
5.1%
47th of 210
Thailand
2.4%
134th of 210
Internet usersInfrastructure & digital
Indonesia
72.8%
117th of 186
Thailandbetter
90.9%
52nd of 186
High-tech exportsTrade
Indonesia
8.7%
75th of 168
Thailandbetter
28.3%
19th of 168
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Thailand has been ahead of Indonesia in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1991.
Thailand has been ahead of Indonesia in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Indonesia has been ahead of Thailand 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
IndonesiaThailand 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 | Indonesia | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 1,916,90714th/216 · 2024 | 513,11552nd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 1,892,41014th/216 · 2024 | 510,89050th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 285.7 m4th/217 · 2025 | 71.6 m20th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.78%115th/217 · 2025 | -0.07%176th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 149.877th/216 · 2024 | 140.383rd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 59.4%130th/217 · 2025 | 62.8%117th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 24.2%100th/217 · 2025 | 14.4%189th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 7.5%119th/217 · 2025 | 16.0%62nd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $1.45 trn17th/210 · 2025 | $577.01 bn29th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $5.05 trn7th/199 · 2025 | $1.88 trn22nd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $4.31 trn7th/199 · 2025 | $1.61 trn22nd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $5,060139th/210 · 2025 | $8,057112th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $17,660114th/199 · 2025 | $26,25087th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $5,120128th/201 · 2025 | $7,690106th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 5.1%47th/210 · 2025 | 2.4%134th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 1.9%57th/180 · 2025 | -0.1%12th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.2%48th/187 · 2025 | 0.8%4th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 30.0%2009 | 61.9%32nd/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 40.9%64th/189 · 2025 | 64.7%123rd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.9%102nd/192 · 2025 | -1.7%68th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 13.1%59th/197 · 2025 | 8.7%78th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 38.7%19th/200 · 2025 | 31.1%50th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 19.1%24th/192 · 2025 | 23.7%11th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 43.9%172nd/200 · 2025 | 60.2%82nd/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $330.28 bn30th/182 · 2025 | $410.53 bn24th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $297.00 bn31st/182 · 2025 | $388.13 bn26th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 22.8%132nd/183 · 2025 | 71.1%27th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 20.5%164th/183 · 2025 | 67.3%41st/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 43.4%155th/183 · 2025 | 138.4%28th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 16.0%40th/170 · 2025 | 2.4%97th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 47.4%69th/171 · 2025 | 73.1%35th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 22.9%64th/171 · 2025 | 13.3%99th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 9.2%41st/171 · 2025 | 3.6%77th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 8.7%75th/168 · 2024 | 28.3%19th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -0.1%77th/191 · 2025 | 3.0%52nd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.6%119th/196 · 2025 | 3.2%68th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 5.2%71st/209 · 2021 | 1.8%100th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.77%48th/197 · 2021 | 0.48%54th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.84%32nd/197 · 2021 | 0.94%31st/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 1.22%6th/195 · 2021 | 0.03%38th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 1.91%38th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.42%74th/209 · 2021 | 0.36%76th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 9.3%107th/206 · 2024 | 30.8%27th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 7,24056th/183 · 2022 | 3,13081st/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 4.1 m44th/194 · 2020 | 39.9 m5th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $3.53 bn37th/175 · 2020 | $15.36 bn10th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 2.0%128th/168 · 2020 | 6.0%79th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 2.9 m39th/107 · 2020 | 10.4 m19th/107 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 71.3146th/217 · 2024 | 76.690th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 17.7115th/196 · 2024 | 9.066th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.52123rd/174 · 2023 | 0.54122nd/174 · 2021 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.4104th/145 · 2023 | 2.478th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 78%150th/193 · 2024 | 92%86th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 56.7%104th/153 · 2023 | 53.6%109th/153 · 2022 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 97.2%73rd/173 · 2025 | 92.1%91st/173 · 2025 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 65.1%19th/55 · 2022 | 87.2%7th/55 · 2021 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 11.1%121st/217 · 2025 | 23.0%65th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 2.7%185th/193 · 2023 | 4.5%137th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 96.0%33rd/98 · 2020 | 91.1%49th/98 · 2022 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 44.9%87th/150 · 2023 | 49.1%79th/150 · 2025 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.728113th/193 · 2023 | 0.79876th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 34.458th/108 · 2025 | 33.343rd/108 · 2024 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 3.7%72nd/108 · 2025 | 0.0%1st/108 · 2024 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 99.9%123rd/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 30.5%128th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | — | 26.7%114th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 72.8%117th/186 · 2024 | 90.9%52nd/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 12382nd/210 · 2024 | 16123rd/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 4.9140th/208 · 2024 | 14.9102nd/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.9058th/164 · 2022 | 3.7024th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 5,48325th/82 · 2019 | 4,09231st/82 · 2017 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 97.0 m9th/161 · 2023 | 51.9 m21st/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 2.87109th/203 · 2024 | 3.96131st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 20.2%106th/212 · 2021 | 19.0%110th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 20.8124th/200 · 2023 | 23.5135th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 50.7%57th/214 · 2024 | 38.7%84th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,02089th/149 · 2024 | 1,83562nd/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 57.682nd/205 · 2025 | 57.780th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 37.7134th/207 · 2025 | 38.1131st/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 54.4114th/207 · 2025 | 56.6104th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 52.7170th/207 · 2025 | 55.8159th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 57.385th/205 · 2025 | 57.683rd/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 54.7111th/205 · 2025 | 48.2129th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.37th/145 · 2022 | 4.82011 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $15.03 bn26th/156 · 2025 | $5.98 bn45th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.0%112th/156 · 2025 | 1.0%113th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 6.3%56th/154 · 2025 | 4.4%95th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 676,0009th/170 · 2020 | 455,00016th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.49%118th/168 · 2020 | 1.13%59th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.3 bn7th/163 · 2025 | 33.0 m73rd/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 17.0 m45th/65 · 2021 | 15.0 m46th/65 · 2024 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.28%75th/110 · 2020 | 0.94%45th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1,93119th/137 · 2024 | 93033rd/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 38,99217th/197 · 2023 | 16,65630th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Indonesia or Thailand?
Indonesia has the larger population: 285.7 m (2025) compared with 71.6 m for Thailand (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Indonesia or Thailand?
Indonesia is larger: 1,916,907 km² (2024) compared with 513,115 km² for Thailand (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Indonesia or Thailand?
Indonesia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $5.05 trn intl. (2025) compared with $1.88 trn intl. for Thailand (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Indonesia or Thailand?
Thailand has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $26,250 intl. (2025) compared with $17,660 intl. for Indonesia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Indonesia or Thailand?
Thailand has the higher life expectancy at birth: 76.6 years (2024) compared with 71.3 years for Indonesia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Indonesia or Thailand?
Indonesia spends more on the military: $15.03 bn (2025) compared with $5.98 bn for Thailand (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Indonesia or Thailand?
Thailand: 61.9 points (53rd in the world); Indonesia: 56.1 points (65th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Italy
Mexico
South Africa
Malaysia
Philippines
South Korea
VietnamSources
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). Indonesia vs Thailand — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/indonesia-vs-thailand. Data as of 26 October 2026.