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Comparison · latest available · data as of 26 October 2026 · printed 27 Oct 2026
NationsTree / Compare / Philippines vs Singapore

Philippines vs Singapore

Side-by-side comparison of Philippines and Singapore from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.

Philippines

East Asia & Pacific · nation age 461 years

NationsTree Index44.0113th of 196
Tree height22 m 
vs
7:30
indicators where each ranks higher

Singapore

East Asia & Pacific · nation age 61 years

NationsTree Index82.13rd of 196
Tree height22 m 
Open in the comparison tool Data as of 26 October 2026

In short

Singapore scores 82.1 in the NationsTree Index (3rd in the world) and Philippines scores 44.0 (113th), a gap of 38.1 points. Their trees are 22 m and 22 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.

Philippines has 19 times the population of Singapore. Philippines is 408 times larger than Singapore by land area. The economy of Philippines is 47% larger than that of Singapore (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Philippines 116.8 million and Singapore 6.1 million (2025).

GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $163,354 in Singapore and $12,577 in Philippines (2025, international dollars). People in Singapore live on average 13.4 years longer (83.3 vs 69.9 years).

Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Philippines ranks higher in the world on 7 and Singapore on 30. Philippines is clearly stronger in natural resources, main industries and land & people. Singapore is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, infrastructure & digital and society & health.

As a nation, Philippines is the older of the two (statehood since 1565, 461 years), compared with Singapore (since 1965). Over the last five years Singapore improved faster (direction score 51 vs 26 out of 100).

Where they differ most

The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Philippines and Singapore.

Over time

How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.

NationsTree IndexPhilippinesSingapore
30405060708090 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 2025

Singapore has been ahead of Philippines in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1991.

Singapore has been ahead of Philippines in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.

Philippines has been ahead of Singapore 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

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 Philippines Singapore
Land & people
Surface area i km² 300,00073rd/216 · 2024 736184th/216 · 2024
Land area i km² 298,17072nd/216 · 2024 725182nd/216 · 2024
Population i people 116.8 m14th/217 · 2025 6.1 m113th/217 · 2025
Population growth i % 0.81%113th/217 · 2025 1.22%85th/217 · 2025
Population density i people/km² 388.530th/216 · 2024 8,329.03rd/216 · 2024
Urban population i % 55.8%140th/217 · 2025 100.0%1st/217 · 2025
Population aged 0–14 i % 27.1%84th/217 · 2025 11.7%211th/217 · 2025
Population aged 65+ i % 5.7%140th/217 · 2025 14.2%72nd/217 · 2025
Economy
GDP i USD $487.09 bn33rd/210 · 2025 $603.87 bn27th/210 · 2025
GDP (PPP) i intl. USD $1.47 trn30th/199 · 2025 $998.28 bn33rd/199 · 2025
Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) i intl. USD 2021 $1.26 trn30th/199 · 2025 $853.07 bn33rd/199 · 2025
GDP per person i USD $4,171147th/210 · 2025 $98,8148th/210 · 2025
GDP per person (PPP) i intl. USD $12,577131st/199 · 2025 $163,3541st/199 · 2025
GNI per person (Atlas) i USD $4,850130th/201 · 2025 $81,76010th/201 · 2025
GDP growth i % 4.4%67th/210 · 2025 5.0%50th/210 · 2025
Inflation i % 1.7%52nd/180 · 2025 0.9%33rd/180 · 2025
Unemployment i % 2.2%21st/187 · 2025 2.8%33rd/187 · 2025
Central government debt i % of GDP 43.4%2014 167.8%55th/55 · 2024
General government gross debt i % of GDP 59.1%110th/189 · 2025 165.7%187th/189 · 2025
Government budget balance i % of GDP -4.5%141st/192 · 2025 4.2%9th/192 · 2025
Main industries
Agriculture, forestry, fishing i % of GDP 8.6%80th/197 · 2025 0.0%196th/197 · 2025
Industry incl. construction i % of GDP 27.0%70th/200 · 2025 22.7%107th/200 · 2025
Manufacturing i % of GDP 15.3%38th/192 · 2025 17.4%32nd/192 · 2025
Services i % of GDP 64.4%59th/200 · 2025 71.6%29th/200 · 2025
Trade
Exports of goods & services i USD $129.32 bn44th/182 · 2025 $1.07 trn7th/182 · 2025
Imports of goods & services i USD $196.02 bn34th/182 · 2025 $860.24 bn9th/182 · 2025
Exports i % of GDP 26.6%121st/183 · 2025 177.9%4th/183 · 2025
Imports i % of GDP 40.2%103rd/183 · 2025 142.5%4th/183 · 2025
Trade openness i % of GDP 66.8%117th/183 · 2025 320.3%4th/183 · 2025
Fuel exports i % of merchandise exports 1.0%119th/170 · 2025 9.4%50th/170 · 2025
Manufactures exports i % of merchandise exports 76.5%30th/171 · 2025 78.2%24th/171 · 2025
Food exports i % of merchandise exports 10.8%112th/171 · 2025 2.3%151st/171 · 2025
Ores & metals exports i % of merchandise exports 7.5%49th/171 · 2025 0.9%138th/171 · 2025
High-tech exports i % of manufactured exports 60.4%4th/168 · 2024 59.4%5th/168 · 2024
Current account balance i % of GDP -3.3%119th/191 · 2025 16.7%10th/191 · 2025
Foreign direct investment, inflows i % of GDP 1.7%118th/196 · 2025 26.3%8th/196 · 2025
Natural resources
Natural resource rents i % of GDP 2.0%95th/209 · 2021 0.0%185th/209 · 2021
Oil rents i % of GDP 0.03%89th/197 · 2021 0.00%120th/197 · 2021
Natural gas rents i % of GDP 0.16%57th/197 · 2021 0.00%100th/197 · 2021
Coal rents i % of GDP 0.09%30th/195 · 2021 0.00%68th/195 · 2021
Mineral rents i % of GDP 1.52%39th/209 · 2021 0.00%91st/209 · 2021
Forest rents i % of GDP 0.16%98th/209 · 2021 0.00%178th/209 · 2021
Arable land i % of land area 18.7%59th/206 · 2024 0.8%188th/206 · 2024
Renewable freshwater per person i m³ 4,20368th/183 · 2022 106169th/183 · 2022
Tourism
International tourist arrivals i arrivals 1.5 m81st/194 · 2020 2.7 m55th/194 · 2020
Tourism receipts i USD $2.77 bn42nd/175 · 2020 $20.42 bn8th/175 · 2018
Tourism receipts i % of exports 3.5%99th/168 · 2020 3.0%106th/168 · 2018
Outbound trips i departures 1.5 m58th/107 · 2020 1.5 m56th/107 · 2020
Society & health
Life expectancy i years 69.9154th/217 · 2024 83.315th/217 · 2024
Under-5 mortality i per 1,000 births 26.5133rd/196 · 2024 2.714th/196 · 2024
Physicians i per 1,000 people 0.79109th/174 · 2021 2.8363rd/174 · 2022
Hospital beds i per 1,000 people 1.0121st/145 · 2021 2.865th/145 · 2023
DPT immunization i % of children 12–23 months 71%166th/193 · 2024 97%29th/193 · 2024
Completed lower secondary, 25+ i % of adults 61.9%98th/153 · 2022 85.3%62nd/153 · 2022
Secondary enrolment i % gross 85.3%118th/173 · 2024 103.1%49th/173 · 2023
Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) i % of population 43.0%2018 —
Old-age dependency ratio i % of working-age population 8.5%142nd/217 · 2025 19.2%75th/217 · 2025
Health spending i % of GDP 5.1%124th/193 · 2023 4.5%139th/193 · 2023
Adult literacy i % 98.5%19th/98 · 2020 97.7%24th/98 · 2021
Tertiary enrolment i % gross 47.4%83rd/150 · 2024 97.3%11th/150 · 2023
Human Development Index i index 0–1 0.720117th/193 · 2023 0.94613th/193 · 2023
Income inequality (Gini) i index 39.382nd/108 · 2023 —
Extreme poverty i % of population 5.3%77th/108 · 2023 —
Infrastructure & digital
Access to electricity i % of population 94.8%155th/215 · 2024 100.0%1st/215 · 2024
Safely managed drinking water i % of population 48.5%109th/150 · 2024 100.0%1st/150 · 2024
Safely managed sanitation i % of population 62.2%72nd/144 · 2024 100.0%1st/144 · 2024
Internet users i % of population 67.3%129th/186 · 2024 94.4%30th/186 · 2024
Mobile subscriptions i per 100 people 115106th/210 · 2024 17119th/210 · 2024
Fixed broadband i per 100 people 7.1132nd/208 · 2024 27.869th/208 · 2024
Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) i score 1–5 3.2046th/164 · 2022 4.601st/164 · 2022
Rail lines i route-km 5092016 —
Air passengers carried i passengers 41.5 m27th/161 · 2023 47.5 m23rd/161 · 2023
Environment & energy
CO₂ emissions per person i t CO₂e 1.5077th/203 · 2024 9.75183rd/203 · 2024
Renewable energy i % of final energy use 28.0%84th/212 · 2021 1.1%187th/212 · 2021
Air pollution (PM2.5) i µg/m³ 22.2130th/200 · 2023 15.185th/200 · 2023
Forest area i % of land area 24.8%119th/214 · 2024 21.8%129th/214 · 2024
Energy use per person i kg oil eq. 612114th/149 · 2024 5,24615th/149 · 2024
Institutions & safety
Government effectiveness i score 0–100 56.390th/205 · 2025 95.21st/205 · 2025
Control of corruption i score 0–100 36.5140th/207 · 2025 87.84th/207 · 2025
Rule of law i score 0–100 50.9132nd/207 · 2025 83.218th/207 · 2025
Political stability i score 0–100 51.0171st/207 · 2025 89.012th/207 · 2025
Regulatory quality i score 0–100 58.581st/205 · 2025 91.91st/205 · 2025
Voice & accountability i score 0–100 53.0117th/205 · 2025 54.6113th/205 · 2025
Homicide rate i per 100,000 4.392nd/145 · 2023 0.11st/145 · 2023
Military
Military expenditure i USD $6.38 bn41st/156 · 2025 $17.44 bn22nd/156 · 2025
Military expenditure i % of GDP 1.3%100th/156 · 2025 3.0%31st/156 · 2025
Military expenditure i % of government spending 5.4%74th/154 · 2025 18.0%11th/154 · 2025
Armed forces personnel i people 157,00040th/170 · 2020 59,00065th/170 · 2020
Armed forces personnel i % of labour force 0.37%135th/168 · 2020 1.72%34th/168 · 2020
Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) i TIV 846.0 m10th/163 · 2025 57.0 m60th/163 · 2025
Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) i TIV 4.0 m2007 79.0 m30th/65 · 2025
Science & innovation
R&D spending i % of GDP 0.28%76th/110 · 2020 1.81%23rd/110 · 2022
Patent applications by residents i applications 87334th/137 · 2024 1,89820th/137 · 2024
Scientific articles i articles 4,75262nd/197 · 2023 11,89439th/197 · 2023

Questions and answers

Which has more people, Philippines or Singapore?

Philippines has the larger population: 116.8 m (2025) compared with 6.1 m for Singapore (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.

Which is bigger by area, Philippines or Singapore?

Philippines is larger: 300,000 km² (2024) compared with 736 km² for Singapore (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.

Which economy is larger, Philippines or Singapore?

Philippines has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.47 trn intl. (2025) compared with $998.28 bn intl. for Singapore (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.

Which is richer per person, Philippines or Singapore?

Singapore has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $163,354 intl. (2025) compared with $12,577 intl. for Philippines (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.

Where do people live longer, in Philippines or Singapore?

Singapore has the higher life expectancy at birth: 83.3 years (2024) compared with 69.9 years for Philippines (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.

Which spends more on the military, Philippines or Singapore?

Singapore spends more on the military: $17.44 bn (2025) compared with $6.38 bn for Philippines (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.

Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Philippines or Singapore?

Singapore: 82.1 points (3rd in the world); Philippines: 44.0 points (113th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.

More comparisons

Philippines compared with

Singapore compared with

Sources

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). Philippines vs Singapore — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/philippines-vs-singapore. Data as of 26 October 2026.

Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Philippines vs Singapore — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/philippines-vs-singapore. Data as of 26 October 2026.
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