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Italy vs Spain
Side-by-side comparison of Italy and Spain from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Italy
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,550 years
In short
Spain scores 75.9 in the NationsTree Index (17th in the world) and Italy scores 75.8 (19th), a gap of 0.1 points. Their trees are 41 m and 36 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Italy has 19% more people than Spain. Spain has 68% more land area than Italy. The economy of Italy is 25% larger than that of Spain (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Italy 58.9 million and Spain 49.4 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $62,803 in Italy and $59,868 in Spain (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 84.0 and 83.9 years.
Of 35 indicators reported by both countries, Italy ranks higher in the world on 14 and Spain on 21.
As a nation, Italy is the older of the two (statehood since 476, 1,550 years), compared with Spain (since 1479). Over the last five years Italy improved faster (direction score 76 vs 63 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Italy and Spain.
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Spain overtook Italy in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Italy overtook Spain in life expectancy in 2024, the latest year with data.
Italy has been ahead of Spain in GDP per person (PPP), 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
ItalySpain 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 | Italy | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 302,07072nd/216 · 2024 | 505,98153rd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 295,72073rd/216 · 2024 | 499,68651st/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 58.9 m25th/217 · 2025 | 49.4 m32nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.06%174th/217 · 2025 | 1.03%100th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 199.467th/216 · 2024 | 97.8107th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 69.7%92nd/217 · 2025 | 80.5%55th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 11.7%212th/217 · 2025 | 12.6%209th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 25.1%4th/217 · 2025 | 21.6%22nd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $2.55 trn9th/210 · 2025 | $1.91 trn12th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $3.70 trn12th/199 · 2025 | $2.95 trn15th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $3.16 trn12th/199 · 2025 | $2.43 trn15th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $43,30937th/210 · 2025 | $38,62743rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $62,80336th/199 · 2025 | $59,86838th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $42,08031st/201 · 2025 | $37,12037th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 0.5%187th/210 · 2025 | 2.8%122nd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 1.5%50th/180 · 2025 | 2.7%83rd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 6.4%117th/187 · 2025 | 10.4%151st/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 77.3%1992 | 105.6%49th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 137.1%182nd/189 · 2025 | 100.5%169th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.1%110th/192 · 2025 | -2.4%88th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 2.1%145th/197 · 2025 | 2.7%133rd/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 22.6%108th/200 · 2025 | 19.6%129th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 15.0%42nd/192 · 2025 | 10.6%92nd/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 64.5%57th/200 · 2025 | 68.4%39th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $822.29 bn13th/182 · 2025 | $698.48 bn17th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $773.02 bn11th/182 · 2025 | $625.57 bn17th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 32.2%102nd/183 · 2025 | 36.6%91st/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 30.3%132nd/183 · 2025 | 32.8%123rd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 62.5%123rd/183 · 2025 | 69.5%114th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 2.6%91st/170 · 2025 | 5.0%75th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 78.5%22nd/171 · 2025 | 66.0%46th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 11.3%111th/171 · 2025 | 19.5%77th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.4%98th/171 · 2025 | 3.7%76th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 11.9%56th/168 · 2024 | 9.3%71st/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 1.1%67th/191 · 2025 | 3.2%50th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.0%175th/196 · 2025 | 1.5%121st/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.1%156th/209 · 2021 | 0.1%155th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.08%79th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%117th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.03%72nd/197 · 2021 | 0.00%94th/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 | 0.10%71st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.01%154th/209 · 2021 | 0.02%143rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 23.5%43rd/206 · 2024 | 22.8%45th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 3,09382nd/183 · 2022 | 2,32795th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 38.4 m6th/194 · 2020 | 36.4 m8th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $20.46 bn7th/175 · 2020 | $31.59 bn1998 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 3.7%95th/168 · 2020 | 19.8%1998 |
| Outbound trips departures | 21.4 m10th/107 · 2020 | 6.2 m25th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 84.011th/217 · 2024 | 83.912th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 2.714th/196 · 2024 | 3.220th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 4.1926th/174 · 2022 | 4.2924th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.156th/145 · 2022 | 2.960th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 94%66th/193 · 2024 | 94%66th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 84.4%64th/153 · 2023 | 84.3%65th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 100.7%60th/173 · 2023 | 118.5%19th/173 · 2024 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 39.7%5th/217 · 2025 | 32.9%28th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 8.4%53rd/193 · 2024 | 9.2%42nd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 99.3%2019 | 99.7%9th/98 · 2021 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 75.9%40th/150 · 2023 | 93.8%13th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.91529th/193 · 2023 | 0.91828th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 34.356th/108 · 2023 | 33.444th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.9%48th/108 · 2023 | 0.8%43rd/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 | 96.8%43rd/150 · 2024 | 99.5%27th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 78.2%53rd/144 · 2024 | 88.3%41st/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 89.2%63rd/186 · 2024 | 95.8%22nd/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 13352nd/210 · 2024 | 13058th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 31.853rd/208 · 2024 | 39.227th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.8019th/164 · 2022 | 3.8019th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 17,30512th/82 · 2021 | 15,96315th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 20.3 m34th/161 · 2023 | 94.1 m11th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 5.08152nd/203 · 2024 | 4.51144th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 17.5%116th/212 · 2021 | 19.0%110th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 14.378th/200 · 2023 | 10.146th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 31.8%109th/214 · 2024 | 38.2%86th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 2,24852nd/149 · 2024 | 2,30650th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 71.342nd/205 · 2025 | 75.534th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 59.860th/207 · 2025 | 61.254th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 68.359th/207 · 2025 | 73.044th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 73.682nd/207 · 2025 | 68.7100th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 65.852nd/205 · 2025 | 62.760th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 77.634th/205 · 2025 | 78.228th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.615th/145 · 2023 | 0.721st/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $48.14 bn12th/156 · 2025 | $40.21 bn15th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.9%71st/156 · 2025 | 2.1%55th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.7%116th/154 · 2025 | 4.7%85th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 338,00020th/170 · 2020 | 199,00032nd/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.35%46th/168 · 2020 | 0.87%79th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 566.0 m18th/163 · 2025 | 237.0 m34th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.9 bn6th/65 · 2025 | 341.0 m13th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 1.38%34th/110 · 2023 | 1.49%31st/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 9,12011th/137 · 2024 | 1,16029th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 82,7718th/197 · 2023 | 60,30412th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Italy or Spain?
Italy has the larger population: 58.9 m (2025) compared with 49.4 m for Spain (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Italy or Spain?
Spain is larger: 505,981 km² (2024) compared with 302,070 km² for Italy (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Italy or Spain?
Italy has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $3.70 trn intl. (2025) compared with $2.95 trn intl. for Spain (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Italy or Spain?
Italy has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $62,803 intl. (2025) compared with $59,868 intl. for Spain (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Italy or Spain?
Italy has the higher life expectancy at birth: 84.0 years (2024) compared with 83.9 years for Spain (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Italy or Spain?
Italy spends more on the military: $48.14 bn (2025) compared with $40.21 bn for Spain (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Italy or Spain?
Spain: 75.9 points (17th in the world); Italy: 75.8 points (19th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Indonesia
Mexico
Portugal
TürkiyeSources
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). Italy vs Spain — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/italy-vs-spain. Data as of 26 October 2026.