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Russia vs Ukraine
Side-by-side comparison of Russia and Ukraine from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Russia
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,144 years
Ukraine
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,144 years
In short
Russia scores 63.8 in the NationsTree Index (51st in the world) and Ukraine scores 52.5 (78th), a gap of 11.3 points. Their trees are 54 m and 16 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Russia has 3.7 times the population of Ukraine. Russia is 28 times larger than Ukraine by land area. Russia has an economy 10 times the size of Ukraine (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Russia 143.5 million and Ukraine 39.0 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $49,568 in Russia and $18,905 in Ukraine (2025, international dollars). People in Ukraine live on average 1.3 years longer (74.7 vs 73.4 years).
Of 35 indicators reported by both countries, Russia ranks higher in the world on 22 and Ukraine on 13. Russia is clearly stronger in economy, science & innovation and main industries. Ukraine is clearly stronger in institutions & safety.
Over the last five years Russia improved faster (direction score 45 vs 5 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Russia and Ukraine.
Russiabetter
16.6%
15th of 189
Ukraine
107.1%
173rd of 189
UnemploymentEconomy
Russiabetter
2.1%
18th of 187
Ukraine
9.8%
149th of 187
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Russiabetter
29,895
20th of 183
Ukraine
1,342
116th of 183
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Russiabetter
97%
29th of 193
Ukraine
88%
117th of 193
CO₂ emissions per personEnvironment & energy
Russia
13.98
190th of 203
Ukrainebetter
3.13
112th of 203
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Russia overtook Ukraine in the NationsTree Index in 2007 and has stayed ahead since.
Russia has been ahead of Ukraine in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Ukraine has been ahead of Russia 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
RussiaUkraine 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 | Russia | Ukraine |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 17,125,1901st/216 · 2024 | 603,55046th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 16,376,8701st/216 · 2024 | 579,40046th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 143.5 m9th/217 · 2025 | 39.0 m40th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.11%178th/217 · 2025 | 2.92%13th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 8.8203rd/216 · 2024 | 65.3141st/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 75.3%73rd/217 · 2025 | 69.6%93rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 17.0%154th/217 · 2025 | 13.7%203rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 17.8%50th/217 · 2025 | 19.0%43rd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $2.56 trn8th/210 · 2025 | $214.23 bn57th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $7.24 trn4th/199 · 2025 | $690.45 bn44th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $6.18 trn4th/199 · 2025 | $590.01 bn43rd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $17,54784th/210 · 2025 | $5,866132nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $49,56855th/199 · 2025 | $18,905110th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $15,96076th/201 · 2025 | $5,510125th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.0%175th/210 · 2025 | 1.8%151st/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 8.7%155th/180 · 2025 | 12.7%163rd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 2.1%18th/187 · 2025 | 9.8%149th/187 · 2021 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 17.9%4th/55 · 2024 | 58.7%30th/55 · 2020 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 16.6%15th/189 · 2025 | 107.1%173rd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.9%129th/192 · 2025 | -17.6%189th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 3.1%127th/197 · 2025 | 7.6%87th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 29.7%55th/200 · 2025 | 17.9%141st/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 13.7%54th/192 · 2025 | 8.3%119th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 58.9%94th/200 · 2025 | 61.0%77th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $466.24 bn22nd/182 · 2025 | $54.27 bn63rd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $397.18 bn25th/182 · 2025 | $111.07 bn47th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 18.2%151st/183 · 2025 | 25.3%124th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 15.5%176th/183 · 2025 | 51.8%76th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 33.7%173rd/183 · 2025 | 77.2%102nd/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 43.1%25th/170 · 2021 | 0.5%129th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 22.1%102nd/171 · 2021 | 30.5%90th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 6.6%133rd/171 · 2021 | 58.7%21st/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 7.4%50th/171 · 2021 | 8.2%45th/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 9.7%67th/168 · 2021 | 6.4%87th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 1.5%63rd/191 · 2025 | -16.0%179th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.4%161st/196 · 2025 | 0.8%153rd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 18.5%25th/209 · 2021 | 7.5%56th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 9.67%20th/197 · 2021 | 0.28%67th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 5.86%11th/197 · 2021 | 1.36%28th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.61%11th/195 · 2021 | 0.34%17th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 2.05%35th/209 · 2021 | 5.32%21st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.31%79th/209 · 2021 | 0.21%92nd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 7.4%117th/206 · 2024 | 56.8%4th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 29,89520th/183 · 2022 | 1,342116th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 6.4 m31st/194 · 2020 | 3.4 m51st/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $4.96 bn30th/175 · 2020 | $687.0 m85th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 1.3%145th/168 · 2020 | 1.1%150th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 12.4 m16th/107 · 2020 | 11.3 m17th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 73.4122nd/217 · 2024 | 74.7110th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.241st/196 · 2024 | 7.958th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 5.118th/174 · 2022 | 3.5345th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 6.88th/145 · 2023 | 6.114th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 88%117th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 98.6%15th/153 · 2021 | 99.3%2019 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 92.5%89th/173 · 2023 | 86.2%116th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 77.5%2017 | 61.8%22nd/55 · 2020 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 27.3%51st/217 · 2025 | 28.2%47th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.0%85th/193 · 2023 | 8.2%58th/193 · 2021 |
| Adult literacy % | 99.9%3rd/98 · 2021 | 99.4%2001 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 60.4%59th/150 · 2024 | 87.2%16th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.83264th/193 · 2023 | 0.77987th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 33.042nd/108 · 2023 | 25.62020 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.1%10th/108 · 2023 | 0.0%2020 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 76.3%80th/150 · 2024 | 87.9%66th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 58.2%76th/144 · 2024 | 92.4%32nd/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 94.4%31st/186 · 2024 | 82.5%92nd/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 1869th/210 · 2024 | 13350th/210 · 2023 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 27.170th/208 · 2024 | 21.785th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.7071st/164 · 2022 | 2.4096th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 85,5443rd/82 · 2021 | 21,6268th/82 · 2020 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 98.9 m8th/161 · 2023 | 452,344115th/161 · 2022 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 13.98190th/203 · 2024 | 3.13112th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 3.5%172nd/212 · 2021 | 8.9%151st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 11.659th/200 · 2023 | 14.980th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 50.8%56th/214 · 2024 | 17.3%139th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 5,72711th/149 · 2024 | 1,64269th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 42.1143rd/205 · 2025 | 40.1149th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 28.2167th/207 · 2025 | 34.1145th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 37.7186th/207 · 2025 | 45.6151st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 49.0179th/207 · 2025 | 59.8140th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 34.9182nd/205 · 2025 | 50.6118th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 31.3178th/205 · 2025 | 56.2107th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 6.8107th/145 · 2021 | 3.888th/145 · 2021 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $190.42 bn3rd/156 · 2025 | $84.11 bn7th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 7.5%4th/156 · 2025 | 39.6%1st/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 19.8%9th/154 · 2025 | 62.9%1st/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 1.5 m4th/170 · 2020 | 298,00024th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.98%29th/168 · 2020 | 1.43%43rd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 129.0 m44th/163 · 2025 | 2.3 bn3rd/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.9 bn5th/65 · 2025 | 120.0 m23rd/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.94%44th/110 · 2024 | 0.37%70th/110 · 2024 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 21,5027th/137 · 2024 | 96932nd/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 85,5587th/197 · 2023 | 15,49832nd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Russia or Ukraine?
Russia has the larger population: 143.5 m (2025) compared with 39.0 m for Ukraine (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Russia or Ukraine?
Russia is larger: 17,125,190 km² (2024) compared with 603,550 km² for Ukraine (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Russia or Ukraine?
Russia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $7.24 trn intl. (2025) compared with $690.45 bn intl. for Ukraine (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Russia or Ukraine?
Russia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $49,568 intl. (2025) compared with $18,905 intl. for Ukraine (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Russia or Ukraine?
Ukraine has the higher life expectancy at birth: 74.7 years (2024) compared with 73.4 years for Russia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Russia or Ukraine?
Russia spends more on the military: $190.42 bn (2025) compared with $84.11 bn for Ukraine (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Russia or Ukraine?
Russia: 63.8 points (51st in the world); Ukraine: 52.5 points (78th). 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
Norway
SwedenSources
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). Russia vs Ukraine — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/russia-vs-ukraine. Data as of 26 October 2026.