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Austria vs Czechia
Russia vs United Kingdom
Side-by-side comparison of Russia and United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,099 years
In short
United Kingdom scores 74.6 in the NationsTree Index (22nd in the world) and Russia scores 63.8 (51st), a gap of 10.7 points. Their trees are 54 m and 44 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Russia has 2.1 times the population of United Kingdom. Russia is 70 times larger than United Kingdom by land area. The economy of Russia is 61% larger than that of United Kingdom (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Russia 143.5 million and United Kingdom 69.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $64,606 in United Kingdom and $49,568 in Russia (2025, international dollars). People in United Kingdom live on average 7.9 years longer (81.4 vs 73.4 years).
Of 38 indicators reported by both countries, Russia ranks higher in the world on 9 and United Kingdom on 29. Russia is clearly stronger in natural resources, main industries and military. United Kingdom is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, tourism and infrastructure & digital.
As a nation, Russia is the older of the two (statehood since 882, 1,144 years), compared with United Kingdom (since 927). Over the last five years Russia improved faster (direction score 45 vs 15 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Russia and United Kingdom.
Russiabetter
17.9%
4th of 55
United Kingdom
130.7%
54th of 55
General government gross debtEconomy
Russiabetter
16.6%
15th of 189
United Kingdom
102.1%
171st of 189
Regulatory qualityInstitutions & safety
Russia
34.9
182nd of 205
United Kingdombetter
80.6
14th of 205
Voice & accountabilityInstitutions & safety
Russia
31.3
178th of 205
United Kingdombetter
81.3
19th of 205
Hospital bedsSociety & health
Russiabetter
6.8
8th of 145
United Kingdom
2.4
75th of 145
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Russia overtook United Kingdom in GDP (PPP) in 2006 and has stayed ahead since.
United Kingdom has been ahead of Russia in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1995.
United Kingdom has been ahead of Russia in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Russia has been ahead of United Kingdom in 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
RussiaUnited Kingdom 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 | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 17,125,1901st/216 · 2024 | 243,61079th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 16,376,8701st/216 · 2024 | 241,93079th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 143.5 m9th/217 · 2025 | 69.5 m22nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.11%178th/217 · 2025 | 0.30%154th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 8.8203rd/216 · 2024 | 286.444th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 75.3%73rd/217 · 2025 | 83.3%50th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 17.0%154th/217 · 2025 | 17.0%155th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 17.8%50th/217 · 2025 | 19.7%39th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $2.56 trn8th/210 · 2025 | $4.00 trn5th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $7.24 trn4th/199 · 2025 | $4.49 trn9th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $6.18 trn4th/199 · 2025 | $3.75 trn10th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $17,54784th/210 · 2025 | $57,60227th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $49,56855th/199 · 2025 | $64,60632nd/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $15,96076th/201 · 2025 | $54,55025th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.0%175th/210 · 2025 | 1.4%162nd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 8.7%155th/180 · 2025 | 3.9%118th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 2.1%18th/187 · 2025 | 4.7%80th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 17.9%4th/55 · 2024 | 130.7%54th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 16.6%15th/189 · 2025 | 102.1%171st/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.9%129th/192 · 2025 | -5.3%154th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 3.1%127th/197 · 2025 | 0.6%179th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 29.7%55th/200 · 2025 | 16.5%152nd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 13.7%54th/192 · 2025 | 7.7%128th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 58.9%94th/200 · 2025 | 73.1%21st/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $466.24 bn22nd/182 · 2025 | $1.22 trn4th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $397.18 bn25th/182 · 2025 | $1.28 trn4th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 18.2%151st/183 · 2025 | 30.6%111th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 15.5%176th/183 · 2025 | 31.9%126th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 33.7%173rd/183 · 2025 | 62.5%124th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 43.1%25th/170 · 2021 | 7.2%63rd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 22.1%102nd/171 · 2021 | 59.7%55th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 6.6%133rd/171 · 2021 | 6.7%131st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 7.4%50th/171 · 2021 | 5.7%59th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 9.7%67th/168 · 2021 | 29.2%17th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 1.5%63rd/191 · 2025 | -3.0%116th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.4%161st/196 · 2025 | 0.9%147th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 18.5%25th/209 · 2021 | 0.6%127th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 9.67%20th/197 · 2021 | 0.42%56th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 5.86%11th/197 · 2021 | 0.17%55th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.61%11th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%60th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 2.05%35th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%90th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.31%79th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 7.4%117th/206 · 2024 | 25.3%39th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 29,89520th/183 · 2022 | 2,144103rd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 6.4 m31st/194 · 2020 | 11.1 m22nd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $4.96 bn30th/175 · 2020 | $31.66 bn1998 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 1.3%145th/168 · 2020 | 8.2%1998 |
| Outbound trips departures | 12.4 m16th/107 · 2020 | 23.8 m8th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 73.4122nd/217 · 2024 | 81.442nd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.241st/196 · 2024 | 4.736th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 5.118th/174 · 2022 | 3.3053rd/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 6.88th/145 · 2023 | 2.475th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 92%86th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 98.6%15th/153 · 2021 | 99.8%3rd/153 · 2021 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 92.5%89th/173 · 2023 | 112.1%23rd/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 77.5%2017 | — |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 27.3%51st/217 · 2025 | 31.1%38th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.0%85th/193 · 2023 | 11.1%16th/193 · 2024 |
| Adult literacy % | 99.9%3rd/98 · 2021 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 60.4%59th/150 · 2024 | 80.4%26th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.83264th/193 · 2023 | 0.94613th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 33.042nd/108 · 2023 | 32.437th/108 · 2021 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.1%10th/108 · 2023 | 0.4%27th/108 · 2021 |
| 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 | 99.8%17th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 58.2%76th/144 · 2024 | 97.8%13th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 94.4%31st/186 · 2024 | 95.5%26th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 1869th/210 · 2024 | 12284th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 27.170th/208 · 2024 | 42.222nd/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.7071st/164 · 2022 | 3.7024th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 85,5443rd/82 · 2021 | 16,17913th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 98.9 m8th/161 · 2023 | 118.9 m7th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 13.98190th/203 · 2024 | 4.22139th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 3.5%172nd/212 · 2021 | 12.2%131st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 11.659th/200 · 2023 | 9.543rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 50.8%56th/214 · 2024 | 13.5%149th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 5,72711th/149 · 2024 | 2,09555th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 42.1143rd/205 · 2025 | 77.628th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 28.2167th/207 · 2025 | 78.918th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 37.7186th/207 · 2025 | 79.526th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 49.0179th/207 · 2025 | 70.792nd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 34.9182nd/205 · 2025 | 80.614th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 31.3178th/205 · 2025 | 81.319th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 6.8107th/145 · 2021 | 1.147th/145 · 2021 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $190.42 bn3rd/156 · 2025 | $88.98 bn6th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 7.5%4th/156 · 2025 | 2.4%45th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 19.8%9th/154 · 2025 | 5.4%73rd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 1.5 m4th/170 · 2020 | 153,00041st/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.98%29th/168 · 2020 | 0.45%121st/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 129.0 m44th/163 · 2025 | 609.0 m16th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.9 bn5th/65 · 2025 | 702.0 m9th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.94%44th/110 · 2024 | 2.68%13th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 21,5027th/137 · 2024 | 11,1059th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 85,5587th/197 · 2023 | 97,5365th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Russia or United Kingdom?
Russia has the larger population: 143.5 m (2025) compared with 69.5 m for United Kingdom (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Russia or United Kingdom?
Russia is larger: 17,125,190 km² (2024) compared with 243,610 km² for United Kingdom (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Russia or United Kingdom?
Russia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $7.24 trn intl. (2025) compared with $4.49 trn intl. for United Kingdom (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Russia or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $64,606 intl. (2025) compared with $49,568 intl. for Russia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Russia or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has the higher life expectancy at birth: 81.4 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 United Kingdom?
Russia spends more on the military: $190.42 bn (2025) compared with $88.98 bn for United Kingdom (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Russia or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom: 74.6 points (22nd in the world); Russia: 63.8 points (51st). 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
IrelandSources
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 United Kingdom — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/russia-vs-united-kingdom. Data as of 26 October 2026.