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Italy vs United States
Side-by-side comparison of Italy and United States 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
United States
North America · nation age 250 years
In short
Italy scores 75.8 in the NationsTree Index (19th in the world) and United States scores 72.3 (30th), a gap of 3.5 points. Their trees are 41 m and 115 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
United States has 5.8 times the population of Italy. United States is 33 times larger than Italy by land area. United States has an economy 8.3 times the size of Italy (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Italy 58.9 million and United States 341.8 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $90,027 in United States and $62,803 in Italy (2025, international dollars). People in Italy live on average 5.1 years longer (84.0 vs 78.9 years).
Of 36 indicators reported by both countries, Italy ranks higher in the world on 14 and United States on 22. Italy is clearly stronger in main industries and institutions & safety. United States is clearly stronger in natural resources, military and science & innovation.
As a nation, Italy is the older of the two (statehood since 476, 1,550 years), compared with United States (since 1776). Over the last five years Italy improved faster (direction score 76 vs 24 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Italy and United States.
Italybetter
0.6
15th of 145
United States
5.8
100th of 145
Government budget balanceEconomy
Italybetter
-3.1%
110th of 192
United States
-7.1%
173rd of 192
Income inequality (Gini)Society & health
Italybetter
34.3
56th of 108
United States
41.8
91st of 108
Completed lower secondary, 25+Society & health
Italy
84.4%
64th of 153
United Statesbetter
96.6%
21st of 153
Air pollution (PM2.5)Environment & energy
Italy
14.3
78th of 200
United Statesbetter
7.0
25th of 200
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Italy overtook United States in the NationsTree Index in 2021 and has stayed ahead since.
United States has been ahead of Italy in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Italy has been ahead of United States 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
ItalyUnited States 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 | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 302,07072nd/216 · 2024 | 9,831,5103rd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 295,72073rd/216 · 2024 | 9,147,4203rd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 58.9 m25th/217 · 2025 | 341.8 m3rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.06%174th/217 · 2025 | 0.52%134th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 199.467th/216 · 2024 | 37.2166th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 69.7%92nd/217 · 2025 | 80.2%57th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 11.7%212th/217 · 2025 | 17.1%152nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 25.1%4th/217 · 2025 | 18.4%45th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $2.55 trn9th/210 · 2025 | $30.77 trn1st/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $3.70 trn12th/199 · 2025 | $30.77 trn2nd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $3.16 trn12th/199 · 2025 | $26.29 trn2nd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $43,30937th/210 · 2025 | $90,02711th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $62,80336th/199 · 2025 | $90,02712th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $42,08031st/201 · 2025 | $88,8106th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 0.5%187th/210 · 2025 | 2.2%139th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 1.5%50th/180 · 2025 | 2.9%87th/180 · 2024 |
| Unemployment % | 6.4%117th/187 · 2025 | 4.2%70th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 77.3%1992 | 115.8%53rd/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 137.1%182nd/189 · 2025 | 124.4%179th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.1%110th/192 · 2025 | -7.1%173rd/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 2.1%145th/197 · 2025 | 0.9%172nd/197 · 2021 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 22.6%108th/200 · 2025 | 17.6%145th/200 · 2021 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 15.0%42nd/192 · 2025 | 10.5%93rd/192 · 2021 |
| Services % of GDP | 64.5%57th/200 · 2025 | 76.3%16th/200 · 2021 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $822.29 bn13th/182 · 2025 | $3.22 trn2nd/182 · 2024 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $773.02 bn11th/182 · 2025 | $4.11 trn1st/182 · 2024 |
| Exports % of GDP | 32.2%102nd/183 · 2025 | 11.0%173rd/183 · 2024 |
| Imports % of GDP | 30.3%132nd/183 · 2025 | 14.0%179th/183 · 2024 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 62.5%123rd/183 · 2025 | 25.0%180th/183 · 2024 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 2.6%91st/170 · 2025 | 17.3%38th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 78.5%22nd/171 · 2025 | 54.9%63rd/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 11.3%111th/171 · 2025 | 9.0%118th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.4%98th/171 · 2025 | 3.0%87th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 11.9%56th/168 · 2024 | 24.3%23rd/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 1.1%67th/191 · 2025 | -3.8%127th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.0%175th/196 · 2025 | 1.0%145th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.1%156th/209 · 2021 | 1.3%110th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.08%79th/197 · 2021 | 0.61%53rd/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.03%72nd/197 · 2021 | 0.36%43rd/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.17%25th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.10%70th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.01%154th/209 · 2021 | 0.04%133rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 23.5%43rd/206 · 2024 | 16.6%65th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 3,09382nd/183 · 2022 | 8,43754th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 38.4 m6th/194 · 2020 | 45.0 m4th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $20.46 bn7th/175 · 2020 | $84.21 bn1st/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 3.7%95th/168 · 2020 | 3.9%93rd/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 21.4 m10th/107 · 2020 | 60.5 m2nd/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 84.011th/217 · 2024 | 78.961st/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 2.714th/196 · 2024 | 6.553rd/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 4.1926th/174 · 2022 | 3.6839th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.156th/145 · 2022 | 2.767th/145 · 2022 |
| 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 | 96.6%21st/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 100.7%60th/173 · 2023 | 97.5%72nd/173 · 2022 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 39.7%5th/217 · 2025 | 28.5%46th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 8.4%53rd/193 · 2024 | 16.7%3rd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 99.3%2019 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 75.9%40th/150 · 2023 | 79.4%29th/150 · 2022 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.91529th/193 · 2023 | 0.93817th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 34.356th/108 · 2023 | 41.891st/108 · 2024 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.9%48th/108 · 2023 | 1.1%52nd/108 · 2024 |
| 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 | 97.6%39th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 78.2%53rd/144 · 2024 | 97.0%17th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 89.2%63rd/186 · 2024 | 94.7%28th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 13352nd/210 · 2024 | 113111th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 31.853rd/208 · 2024 | 38.929th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.8019th/164 · 2022 | 3.9016th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 17,30512th/82 · 2021 | 148,5531st/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 20.3 m34th/161 · 2023 | 941.6 m1st/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 5.08152nd/203 · 2024 | 13.62189th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 17.5%116th/212 · 2021 | 10.9%142nd/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 14.378th/200 · 2023 | 7.025th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 31.8%109th/214 · 2024 | 33.8%102nd/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 2,24852nd/149 · 2024 | 6,45410th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 71.342nd/205 · 2025 | 76.732nd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 59.860th/207 · 2025 | 65.544th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 68.359th/207 · 2025 | 71.747th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 73.682nd/207 · 2025 | 60.3136th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 65.852nd/205 · 2025 | 72.831st/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 77.634th/205 · 2025 | 69.659th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.615th/145 · 2023 | 5.8100th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $48.14 bn12th/156 · 2025 | $954.39 bn1st/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.9%71st/156 · 2025 | 3.1%27th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.7%116th/154 · 2025 | 8.3%37th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 338,00020th/170 · 2020 | 1.4 m5th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.35%46th/168 · 2020 | 0.84%84th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 566.0 m18th/163 · 2025 | 745.0 m13th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.9 bn6th/65 · 2025 | 14.0 bn1st/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 1.38%34th/110 · 2023 | 3.45%5th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 9,12011th/137 · 2024 | 270,2952nd/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 82,7718th/197 · 2023 | 430,8432nd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Italy or United States?
United States has the larger population: 341.8 m (2025) compared with 58.9 m for Italy (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Italy or United States?
United States is larger: 9,831,510 km² (2024) compared with 302,070 km² for Italy (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Italy or United States?
United States has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $30.77 trn intl. (2025) compared with $3.70 trn intl. for Italy (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Italy or United States?
United States has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $90,027 intl. (2025) compared with $62,803 intl. for Italy (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Italy or United States?
Italy has the higher life expectancy at birth: 84.0 years (2024) compared with 78.9 years for United States (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Italy or United States?
United States spends more on the military: $954.39 bn (2025) compared with $48.14 bn for Italy (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Italy or United States?
Italy: 75.8 points (19th in the world); United States: 72.3 points (30th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Indonesia
Mexico
BermudaSources
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 United States — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/italy-vs-united-states. Data as of 26 October 2026.