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Kosovo vs North Macedonia
Side-by-side comparison of Kosovo and North Macedonia from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
North Macedonia
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 35 years
In short
Kosovo scores 48.7 in the NationsTree Index (95th in the world) and North Macedonia scores 46.7 (102nd), a gap of 2.0 points. Their trees are 3.2 m and 4.3 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
North Macedonia has 15% more people than Kosovo. The economy of North Macedonia is 68% larger than that of Kosovo (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Kosovo 1.6 million and North Macedonia 1.8 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $28,029 in North Macedonia and $19,263 in Kosovo (2025, international dollars). People in Kosovo live on average 1.6 years longer (78.2 vs 76.6 years).
Of 14 indicators reported by both countries, Kosovo ranks higher in the world on 5 and North Macedonia on 9. Kosovo is clearly stronger in science & innovation. North Macedonia is clearly stronger in infrastructure & digital, society & health and institutions & safety.
Over the last five years Kosovo improved faster (direction score 88 vs 37 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Kosovo and North Macedonia.
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
XKX Kosovo overtook North Macedonia in the NationsTree Index in 2023 and has stayed ahead since.
XKX Kosovo overtook North Macedonia in life expectancy in 2021 and has stayed ahead since.
North Macedonia overtook Kosovo in population in 1999 and has stayed ahead since.
North Macedonia has been ahead of Kosovo in GDP per person (PPP) and GDP (PPP) in every year since 2008.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
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 | XKX Kosovo | North Macedonia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | — | 25,713146th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | — | 25,220145th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 1.6 m153rd/217 · 2025 | 1.8 m151st/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -1.10%210th/217 · 2025 | -0.19%190th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | — | 72.3134th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 50.9%153rd/217 · 2025 | 62.9%116th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 20.0%124th/217 · 2025 | 16.5%159th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 10.5%95th/217 · 2025 | 18.5%44th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $12.46 bn151st/210 · 2025 | $19.10 bn136th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $30.38 bn150th/199 · 2025 | $51.04 bn133rd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $25.96 bn150th/199 · 2025 | $45.70 bn132nd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $7,899114th/210 · 2025 | $10,490102nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $19,263109th/199 · 2025 | $28,02986th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $7,760105th/201 · 2025 | $9,49096th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.6%95th/210 · 2025 | 3.5%99th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 3.9%115th/180 · 2025 | 4.1%127th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | — | 12.3%164th/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | — | 52.6%92nd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | — | -4.0%133rd/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 7.4%90th/197 · 2025 | 6.0%100th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 25.0%87th/200 · 2025 | 24.1%94th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 12.5%72nd/192 · 2025 | 14.3%51st/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 46.2%165th/200 · 2025 | 57.0%109th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $5.47 bn130th/182 · 2025 | $11.39 bn108th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $9.25 bn121st/182 · 2025 | $14.02 bn108th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 44.0%66th/183 · 2025 | 59.6%38th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 74.2%27th/183 · 2025 | 73.4%28th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 118.2%43rd/183 · 2025 | 133.0%32nd/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | — | 2.8%89th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | — | 80.3%19th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | — | 11.8%107th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | — | 4.4%69th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | — | 6.4%88th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | — | -4.4%137th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 10.0%19th/196 · 2025 | 3.5%61st/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.9%118th/209 · 2021 | 0.1%152nd/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.38%15th/195 · 2021 | 0.01%53rd/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.55%54th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 | 0.13%107th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | — | 16.2%68th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | — | 2,94885th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | — | 118,000162nd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | — | $253.0 m111th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | — | 3.5%96th/168 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 78.267th/217 · 2024 | 76.689th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 8.764th/196 · 2024 | 2.817th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | — | 2.9461st/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | — | 4.727th/145 · 2021 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | — | 89%110th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | — | 69.0%85th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | — | 90.1%104th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 42.8%2017 | — |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 15.1%97th/217 · 2025 | 28.5%44th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | — | 7.4%77th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | — | 96.1%2002 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | — | 55.0%69th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | — | 0.81568th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 38.376th/108 · 2022 | 33.52019 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 10.0%85th/108 · 2022 | 3.9%2019 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1999 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 80.8%74th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | — | 12.1%138th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 89.4%2018 | 93.1%40th/186 · 2025 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 35207th/210 · 2022 | 108123rd/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | — | 29.958th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | — | 3.0054th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | — | 68372nd/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | — | 86,8682009 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | — | 4.00133rd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | — | 19.5%109th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | — | 21.8127th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | — | 40.8%77th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,2192014 | 1,38880th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 49.9117th/205 · 2025 | 56.489th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 42.8108th/207 · 2025 | 42.0115th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 60.493rd/207 · 2025 | 56.3108th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 62.5131st/207 · 2025 | 72.286th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 52.1114th/205 · 2025 | 63.357th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 59.297th/205 · 2025 | 61.392nd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.965th/145 · 2021 | 1.558th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $234.5 m120th/156 · 2025 | $374.8 m112th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.9%74th/156 · 2025 | 2.0%66th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 5.9%62nd/154 · 2025 | 5.1%78th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | — | 16,000113th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | — | 2.00%28th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 8.0 m116th/163 · 2025 | 9.0 m111th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | — | 59.0 m31st/65 · 2023 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.37%69th/110 · 2024 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | — | 2589th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 495101st/197 · 2023 | 49999th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Kosovo or North Macedonia?
North Macedonia has the larger population: 1.8 m (2025) compared with 1.6 m for Kosovo (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which economy is larger, Kosovo or North Macedonia?
North Macedonia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $51.04 bn intl. (2025) compared with $30.38 bn intl. for Kosovo (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Kosovo or North Macedonia?
North Macedonia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $28,029 intl. (2025) compared with $19,263 intl. for Kosovo (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Kosovo or North Macedonia?
Kosovo has the higher life expectancy at birth: 78.2 years (2024) compared with 76.6 years for North Macedonia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Kosovo or North Macedonia?
North Macedonia spends more on the military: $374.8 m (2025) compared with $234.5 m for Kosovo (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Kosovo or North Macedonia?
Kosovo: 48.7 points (95th in the world); North Macedonia: 46.7 points (102nd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Iceland
Moldova
Montenegro
Albania
Cyprus
TajikistanSources
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). Kosovo vs North Macedonia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/kosovo-vs-north-macedonia. Data as of 26 October 2026.