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Japan vs Saudi Arabia
Side-by-side comparison of Japan and Saudi Arabia from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Saudi Arabia
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 299 years
In short
Japan scores 79.3 in the NationsTree Index (6th in the world) and Saudi Arabia scores 76.5 (15th), a gap of 2.8 points. Their trees are 57 m and 35 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Japan has 3.3 times the population of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is 5.7 times larger than Japan by land area. Japan has an economy 2.5 times the size of Saudi Arabia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Japan 123.4 million and Saudi Arabia 37.0 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $73,784 in Saudi Arabia and $55,422 in Japan (2025, international dollars). People in Japan live on average 5.1 years longer (84.0 vs 79.0 years).
Of 34 indicators reported by both countries, Japan ranks higher in the world on 25 and Saudi Arabia on 9. Japan is clearly stronger in environment & energy, institutions & safety and society & health. Saudi Arabia is clearly stronger in military and tourism.
As a nation, Japan is the older of the two (statehood since 250, 1,776 years), compared with Saudi Arabia (since 1727). Over the last five years Saudi Arabia improved faster (direction score 100 vs 40 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Japan
204.8%
189th of 189
Saudi Arabiabetter
31.8%
40th of 189
Voice & accountabilityInstitutions & safety
Japanbetter
78.0
31st of 205
Saudi Arabia
26.0
192nd of 205
Air pollution (PM2.5)Environment & energy
Japanbetter
11.5
57th of 200
Saudi Arabia
73.5
199th of 200
High-tech exportsTrade
Japanbetter
17.6%
42nd of 168
Saudi Arabia
0.5%
154th of 168
Government budget balanceEconomy
Japanbetter
-0.7%
52nd of 192
Saudi Arabia
-5.8%
161st of 192
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Japan has been ahead of Saudi Arabia in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1996.
Saudi Arabia has been ahead of Japan in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Japan has been ahead of Saudi Arabia in GDP (PPP), life expectancy 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
JapanSaudi Arabia 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 | Japan | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 377,97563rd/216 · 2024 | 2,149,69012th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 364,50062nd/216 · 2024 | 2,149,69012th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 123.4 m12th/217 · 2025 | 37.0 m43rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.49%197th/217 · 2025 | 4.63%2nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 340.136th/216 · 2024 | 16.4196th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 92.3%26th/217 · 2025 | 84.6%47th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 11.2%215th/217 · 2025 | 23.6%105th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 30.0%2nd/217 · 2025 | 3.1%195th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $4.44 trn4th/210 · 2025 | $1.28 trn19th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $6.84 trn5th/199 · 2025 | $2.73 trn17th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $5.96 trn5th/199 · 2025 | $2.33 trn17th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $35,95148th/210 · 2025 | $34,53750th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $55,42245th/199 · 2025 | $73,78425th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $38,34035th/201 · 2025 | $36,07041st/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.2%167th/210 · 2025 | 4.5%63rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 3.2%90th/180 · 2025 | 2.0%59th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 2.5%24th/187 · 2025 | 3.0%41st/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 204.8%189th/189 · 2025 | 31.8%40th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -0.7%52nd/192 · 2025 | -5.8%161st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.0%171st/197 · 2024 | 2.6%138th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 26.8%71st/200 · 2024 | 43.0%12th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 18.8%27th/192 · 2024 | 15.8%37th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 71.4%30th/200 · 2024 | 48.9%149th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $920.96 bn9th/182 · 2024 | $379.83 bn27th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $958.38 bn6th/182 · 2024 | $359.76 bn27th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 22.0%138th/183 · 2024 | 29.7%114th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 22.9%157th/183 · 2024 | 28.2%142nd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 44.9%154th/183 · 2024 | 57.9%131st/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 1.2%115th/170 · 2025 | 78.7%11th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 80.6%18th/171 · 2025 | 16.7%113th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 1.3%161st/171 · 2025 | 2.2%152nd/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 3.6%79th/171 · 2025 | 1.2%127th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 17.6%42nd/168 · 2024 | 0.5%154th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 4.9%37th/191 · 2025 | -2.6%107th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.0%141st/196 · 2025 | 2.6%81st/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%163rd/209 · 2021 | 25.6%17th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%110th/197 · 2021 | 23.69%6th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.01%83rd/197 · 2021 | 1.72%26th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%63rd/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.01%85th/209 · 2021 | 0.16%65th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.03%138th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%170th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 11.0%96th/206 · 2024 | 2.0%169th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 3,43777th/183 · 2022 | 75175th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 4.1 m43rd/194 · 2020 | 20.3 m13th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $11.40 bn16th/175 · 2020 | $5.96 bn27th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 1.4%142nd/168 · 2020 | 3.2%104th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 3.2 m37th/107 · 2020 | 27.2 m6th/107 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 84.010th/217 · 2024 | 79.057th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 2.46th/196 · 2024 | 6.051st/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.6569th/174 · 2022 | 3.4148th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 12.62nd/145 · 2022 | 2.477th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 99%1st/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 98.6%14th/153 · 2020 | 85.8%60th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 101.5%55th/173 · 2023 | 110.7%24th/173 · 2024 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 51.0%2nd/217 · 2025 | 4.2%210th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 10.7%20th/193 · 2023 | 5.7%113th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | — | 97.9%21st/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 64.5%56th/150 · 2023 | 83.9%20th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.92523rd/193 · 2023 | 0.90037th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 32.32020 | — |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 1.2%2020 | — |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 98.7%34th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 99.2%9th/144 · 2024 | 83.9%45th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 85.5%80th/186 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 17812th/210 · 2023 | 16024th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 38.630th/208 · 2023 | 44.118th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 4.205th/164 · 2022 | 3.6029th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 20,0872011 | 2,93942nd/82 · 2018 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 120.3 m6th/161 · 2023 | 48.0 m22nd/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 7.84176th/203 · 2024 | 18.48196th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 8.8%153rd/212 · 2021 | 0.1%202nd/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 11.557th/200 · 2023 | 73.5199th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 68.3%20th/214 · 2024 | 1.3%195th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 3,00434th/149 · 2024 | 6,6769th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 94.12nd/205 · 2025 | 67.555th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 77.422nd/207 · 2025 | 64.346th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 84.017th/207 · 2025 | 63.183rd/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 87.719th/207 · 2025 | 65.9116th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 76.520th/205 · 2025 | 67.046th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 78.031st/205 · 2025 | 26.0192nd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.25th/145 · 2023 | 0.939th/145 · 2019 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $62.16 bn10th/156 · 2025 | $83.18 bn8th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.4%92nd/156 · 2025 | 6.5%7th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.8%113th/154 · 2025 | 23.5%5th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 261,00027th/170 · 2020 | 282,00025th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.38%132nd/168 · 2020 | 1.92%31st/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.7 bn5th/163 · 2025 | 3.0 bn1st/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 28.0 m40th/65 · 2025 | 3.0 m53rd/65 · 2023 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 3.44%6th/110 · 2023 | 0.64%57th/110 · 2024 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 237,1693rd/137 · 2024 | 3,10817th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 96,5436th/197 · 2023 | 24,59520th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Japan has the larger population: 123.4 m (2025) compared with 37.0 m for Saudi Arabia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia is larger: 2,149,690 km² (2024) compared with 377,975 km² for Japan (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Japan has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $6.84 trn intl. (2025) compared with $2.73 trn intl. for Saudi Arabia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $73,784 intl. (2025) compared with $55,422 intl. for Japan (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Japan has the higher life expectancy at birth: 84.0 years (2024) compared with 79.0 years for Saudi Arabia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia spends more on the military: $83.18 bn (2025) compared with $62.16 bn for Japan (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
Japan: 79.3 points (6th in the world); Saudi Arabia: 76.5 points (15th). 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
Algeria
Egypt
IranSources
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). Japan vs Saudi Arabia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/japan-vs-saudi-arabia. Data as of 26 October 2026.