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Maldives vs Nepal
Side-by-side comparison of Maldives and Nepal from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
In short
Maldives scores 53.3 in the NationsTree Index (75th in the world) and Nepal scores 44.6 (111th), a gap of 8.7 points. Their trees are 2.3 m and 7.8 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Nepal has 56 times the population of Maldives. Nepal is 491 times larger than Maldives by land area. Nepal has an economy 12 times the size of Maldives (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Maldives 529,676 and Nepal 29.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $28,555 in Maldives and $6,175 in Nepal (2025, international dollars). People in Maldives live on average 10.6 years longer (81.3 vs 70.6 years).
Of 32 indicators reported by both countries, Maldives ranks higher in the world on 23 and Nepal on 9. Maldives is clearly stronger in infrastructure & digital, tourism and society & health. Nepal is clearly stronger in science & innovation, land & people and natural resources.
As a nation, Nepal is the older of the two (statehood since 1768, 258 years), compared with Maldives (since 1965). Over the last five years Nepal improved faster (direction score 97 vs 66 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Maldives and Nepal.
Maldives
1.2%
186th of 212
Nepalbetter
73.7%
24th of 212
Hospital bedsSociety & health
Maldivesbetter
4.6
28th of 145
Nepal
0.5
135th of 145
Air pollution (PM2.5)Environment & energy
Maldivesbetter
11.2
55th of 200
Nepal
53.2
189th of 200
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Maldivesbetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Nepal
97.9%
142nd of 215
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Maldives
57
177th of 183
Nepalbetter
6,670
59th of 183
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Maldives has been ahead of Nepal in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1996.
Maldives has been ahead of Nepal in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Nepal has been ahead of Maldives 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
MaldivesNepal 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 | Maldives | Nepal |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 300200th/216 · 2024 | 147,18194th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 298199th/216 · 2024 | 143,35093rd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 529,676171st/217 · 2025 | 29.6 m52nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.35%151st/217 · 2025 | -0.11%179th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 1,771.18th/216 · 2024 | 206.866th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 42.5%168th/217 · 2025 | 67.0%99th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 19.0%129th/217 · 2025 | 28.1%81st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 5.0%149th/217 · 2025 | 6.6%133rd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $7.74 bn161st/210 · 2025 | $45.49 bn103rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $15.12 bn158th/199 · 2025 | $182.90 bn82nd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $12.92 bn158th/199 · 2025 | $156.29 bn82nd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $14,61591st/210 · 2025 | $1,536182nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $28,55584th/199 · 2025 | $6,175159th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $12,95085th/201 · 2025 | $1,570172nd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 6.3%29th/210 · 2025 | 4.4%65th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 4.0%124th/180 · 2025 | 2.7%81st/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 4.5%74th/187 · 2025 | 10.5%152nd/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 57.3%2011 | 39.9%16th/55 · 2021 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 129.4%181st/189 · 2025 | 47.4%80th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.6%121st/192 · 2025 | -1.8%71st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 4.6%110th/197 · 2025 | 21.6%32nd/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 9.3%189th/200 · 2025 | 12.1%174th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 1.8%178th/192 · 2025 | 5.0%152nd/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 69.9%36th/200 · 2025 | 54.4%124th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $5.52 bn129th/182 · 2024 | $4.02 bn137th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $5.53 bn138th/182 · 2024 | $15.34 bn103rd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 78.2%20th/183 · 2024 | 8.8%178th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 78.3%21st/183 · 2024 | 33.7%118th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 156.5%17th/183 · 2024 | 42.6%156th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.1%134th/170 · 2025 | 0.0%158th/170 · 2022 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 0.2%171st/171 · 2025 | 47.5%68th/171 · 2022 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 97.0%3rd/171 · 2025 | 49.4%31st/171 · 2022 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.7%93rd/171 · 2025 | 1.4%121st/171 · 2022 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 0.0%164th/168 · 2024 | 0.6%152nd/168 · 2022 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -6.1%153rd/191 · 2025 | 6.6%28th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 11.1%14th/196 · 2025 | 0.1%173rd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%176th/209 · 2021 | 0.5%132nd/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 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.01%55th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%161st/209 · 2021 | 0.49%69th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 13.1%82nd/206 · 2024 | 12.6%83rd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 57177th/183 · 2022 | 6,67059th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 555,000118th/194 · 2020 | 230,000148th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.41 bn62nd/175 · 2020 | $238.0 m117th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 78.9%5th/168 · 2020 | 13.4%45th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 123,0002008 | 1.2 m62nd/107 · 2017 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 81.344th/217 · 2024 | 70.6150th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.443rd/196 · 2024 | 25.1131st/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.2480th/174 · 2019 | 1.01106th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 4.628th/145 · 2021 | 0.5135th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 99%1st/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 41.4%2017 | 33.9%127th/153 · 2021 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 79.4%130th/173 · 2023 | 90.4%102nd/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 28.6%43rd/55 · 2019 | 43.5%2010 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 6.5%167th/217 · 2025 | 10.1%131st/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 9.2%41st/193 · 2023 | 6.2%100th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.2%2019 | 68.7%2019 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 48.5%80th/150 · 2022 | 21.3%121st/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.76693rd/193 · 2023 | 0.622145th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 29.32019 | 30.024th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.0%2019 | 2.4%65th/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 97.9%142nd/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 16.5%143rd/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | — | 53.4%80th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 85.2%82nd/186 · 2024 | 46.3%151st/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 14832nd/210 · 2024 | 100138th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 19.689th/208 · 2024 | 10.1119th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.7268th/164 · 2018 | 2.19139th/164 · 2018 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 1.4 m90th/161 · 2023 | 4.3 m64th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 3.57121st/203 · 2024 | 0.5444th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 1.2%186th/212 · 2022 | 73.7%24th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 11.255th/200 · 2023 | 53.2189th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 12.5%153rd/214 · 2024 | 43.6%70th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 9212007 | 451123rd/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 47.4129th/205 · 2025 | 36.6162nd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 41.3118th/207 · 2025 | 32.5153rd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 58.598th/207 · 2025 | 53.6117th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 67.0113th/207 · 2025 | 57.8149th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 48.7125th/205 · 2025 | 44.2149th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 49.3127th/205 · 2025 | 54.6112th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.617th/145 · 2019 | 2.169th/145 · 2020 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | — | $428.3 m108th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | — | 1.0%117th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | — | 4.5%93rd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 5,0002000 | 112,00052nd/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 5.41%2000 | 1.40%44th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 11.0 m105th/163 · 2025 | 6.0 m125th/163 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.30%2010 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | — | 202017 |
| Scientific articles articles | 32164th/197 · 2023 | 1,59177th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Maldives or Nepal?
Nepal has the larger population: 29.6 m (2025) compared with 529,676 for Maldives (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Maldives or Nepal?
Nepal is larger: 147,181 km² (2024) compared with 300 km² for Maldives (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Maldives or Nepal?
Nepal has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $182.90 bn intl. (2025) compared with $15.12 bn intl. for Maldives (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Maldives or Nepal?
Maldives has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $28,555 intl. (2025) compared with $6,175 intl. for Nepal (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Maldives or Nepal?
Maldives has the higher life expectancy at birth: 81.3 years (2024) compared with 70.6 years for Nepal (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Maldives or Nepal?
Maldives: 53.3 points (75th in the world); Nepal: 44.6 points (111th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Sri LankaSources
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). Maldives vs Nepal — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/maldives-vs-nepal. Data as of 26 October 2026.