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Comparison · latest available · data as of 26 October 2026 · printed 27 Oct 2026
NationsTree / Compare / Russia vs United States

Russia vs United States

Side-by-side comparison of Russia and United States 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

NationsTree Index63.851st of 196
Tree height54 m 
vs
12:26
indicators where each ranks higher

United States

North America · nation age 250 years

NationsTree Index72.330th of 196
Tree height115 m 
Open in the comparison tool Data as of 26 October 2026

In short

United States scores 72.3 in the NationsTree Index (30th in the world) and Russia scores 63.8 (51st), a gap of 8.5 points. Their trees are 54 m and 115 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.

United States has 2.4 times the population of Russia. Russia has 74% more land area than United States. United States has an economy 4.3 times the size of Russia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Russia 143.5 million and United States 341.8 million (2025).

GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $90,027 in United States and $49,568 in Russia (2025, international dollars). People in United States live on average 5.4 years longer (78.9 vs 73.4 years).

Of 38 indicators reported by both countries, Russia ranks higher in the world on 12 and United States on 26. Russia is clearly stronger in natural resources and main industries. United States is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, tourism and science & innovation.

As a nation, Russia is the older of the two (statehood since 882, 1,144 years), compared with United States (since 1776). Over the last five years Russia improved faster (direction score 45 vs 24 out of 100).

Where they differ most

The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Russia and United States.

Over time

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

NationsTree IndexRussiaUnited States
405060708090 1993 1998 2003 2008 2013 2018 2023 2025

United States has been ahead of Russia in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1993.

United States has been ahead of Russia in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP), life expectancy 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 Russia United States
Land & people
Surface area i km² 17,125,1901st/216 · 2024 9,831,5103rd/216 · 2024
Land area i km² 16,376,8701st/216 · 2024 9,147,4203rd/216 · 2024
Population i people 143.5 m9th/217 · 2025 341.8 m3rd/217 · 2025
Population growth i % -0.11%178th/217 · 2025 0.52%134th/217 · 2025
Population density i people/km² 8.8203rd/216 · 2024 37.2166th/216 · 2024
Urban population i % 75.3%73rd/217 · 2025 80.2%57th/217 · 2025
Population aged 0–14 i % 17.0%154th/217 · 2025 17.1%152nd/217 · 2025
Population aged 65+ i % 17.8%50th/217 · 2025 18.4%45th/217 · 2025
Economy
GDP i USD $2.56 trn8th/210 · 2025 $30.77 trn1st/210 · 2025
GDP (PPP) i intl. USD $7.24 trn4th/199 · 2025 $30.77 trn2nd/199 · 2025
Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) i intl. USD 2021 $6.18 trn4th/199 · 2025 $26.29 trn2nd/199 · 2025
GDP per person i USD $17,54784th/210 · 2025 $90,02711th/210 · 2025
GDP per person (PPP) i intl. USD $49,56855th/199 · 2025 $90,02712th/199 · 2025
GNI per person (Atlas) i USD $15,96076th/201 · 2025 $88,8106th/201 · 2025
GDP growth i % 1.0%175th/210 · 2025 2.2%139th/210 · 2025
Inflation i % 8.7%155th/180 · 2025 2.9%87th/180 · 2024
Unemployment i % 2.1%18th/187 · 2025 4.2%70th/187 · 2025
Central government debt i % of GDP 17.9%4th/55 · 2024 115.8%53rd/55 · 2024
General government gross debt i % of GDP 16.6%15th/189 · 2025 124.4%179th/189 · 2025
Government budget balance i % of GDP -3.9%129th/192 · 2025 -7.1%173rd/192 · 2025
Main industries
Agriculture, forestry, fishing i % of GDP 3.1%127th/197 · 2025 0.9%172nd/197 · 2021
Industry incl. construction i % of GDP 29.7%55th/200 · 2025 17.6%145th/200 · 2021
Manufacturing i % of GDP 13.7%54th/192 · 2025 10.5%93rd/192 · 2021
Services i % of GDP 58.9%94th/200 · 2025 76.3%16th/200 · 2021
Trade
Exports of goods & services i USD $466.24 bn22nd/182 · 2025 $3.22 trn2nd/182 · 2024
Imports of goods & services i USD $397.18 bn25th/182 · 2025 $4.11 trn1st/182 · 2024
Exports i % of GDP 18.2%151st/183 · 2025 11.0%173rd/183 · 2024
Imports i % of GDP 15.5%176th/183 · 2025 14.0%179th/183 · 2024
Trade openness i % of GDP 33.7%173rd/183 · 2025 25.0%180th/183 · 2024
Fuel exports i % of merchandise exports 43.1%25th/170 · 2021 17.3%38th/170 · 2025
Manufactures exports i % of merchandise exports 22.1%102nd/171 · 2021 54.9%63rd/171 · 2025
Food exports i % of merchandise exports 6.6%133rd/171 · 2021 9.0%118th/171 · 2025
Ores & metals exports i % of merchandise exports 7.4%50th/171 · 2021 3.0%87th/171 · 2025
High-tech exports i % of manufactured exports 9.7%67th/168 · 2021 24.3%23rd/168 · 2024
Current account balance i % of GDP 1.5%63rd/191 · 2025 -3.8%127th/191 · 2025
Foreign direct investment, inflows i % of GDP 0.4%161st/196 · 2025 1.0%145th/196 · 2025
Natural resources
Natural resource rents i % of GDP 18.5%25th/209 · 2021 1.3%110th/209 · 2021
Oil rents i % of GDP 9.67%20th/197 · 2021 0.61%53rd/197 · 2021
Natural gas rents i % of GDP 5.86%11th/197 · 2021 0.36%43rd/197 · 2021
Coal rents i % of GDP 0.61%11th/195 · 2021 0.17%25th/195 · 2021
Mineral rents i % of GDP 2.05%35th/209 · 2021 0.10%70th/209 · 2021
Forest rents i % of GDP 0.31%79th/209 · 2021 0.04%133rd/209 · 2021
Arable land i % of land area 7.4%117th/206 · 2024 16.6%65th/206 · 2024
Renewable freshwater per person i m³ 29,89520th/183 · 2022 8,43754th/183 · 2022
Tourism
International tourist arrivals i arrivals 6.4 m31st/194 · 2020 45.0 m4th/194 · 2020
Tourism receipts i USD $4.96 bn30th/175 · 2020 $84.21 bn1st/175 · 2020
Tourism receipts i % of exports 1.3%145th/168 · 2020 3.9%93rd/168 · 2020
Outbound trips i departures 12.4 m16th/107 · 2020 60.5 m2nd/107 · 2020
Society & health
Life expectancy i years 73.4122nd/217 · 2024 78.961st/217 · 2024
Under-5 mortality i per 1,000 births 5.241st/196 · 2024 6.553rd/196 · 2024
Physicians i per 1,000 people 5.118th/174 · 2022 3.6839th/174 · 2022
Hospital beds i per 1,000 people 6.88th/145 · 2023 2.767th/145 · 2022
DPT immunization i % of children 12–23 months 97%29th/193 · 2024 94%66th/193 · 2024
Completed lower secondary, 25+ i % of adults 98.6%15th/153 · 2021 96.6%21st/153 · 2024
Secondary enrolment i % gross 92.5%89th/173 · 2023 97.5%72nd/173 · 2022
Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) i % of population 77.5%2017 —
Old-age dependency ratio i % of working-age population 27.3%51st/217 · 2025 28.5%46th/217 · 2025
Health spending i % of GDP 7.0%85th/193 · 2023 16.7%3rd/193 · 2023
Adult literacy i % 99.9%3rd/98 · 2021 —
Tertiary enrolment i % gross 60.4%59th/150 · 2024 79.4%29th/150 · 2022
Human Development Index i index 0–1 0.83264th/193 · 2023 0.93817th/193 · 2023
Income inequality (Gini) i index 33.042nd/108 · 2023 41.891st/108 · 2024
Extreme poverty i % of population 0.1%10th/108 · 2023 1.1%52nd/108 · 2024
Infrastructure & digital
Access to electricity i % of population 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 100.0%1st/215 · 2024
Safely managed drinking water i % of population 76.3%80th/150 · 2024 97.6%39th/150 · 2024
Safely managed sanitation i % of population 58.2%76th/144 · 2024 97.0%17th/144 · 2024
Internet users i % of population 94.4%31st/186 · 2024 94.7%28th/186 · 2024
Mobile subscriptions i per 100 people 1869th/210 · 2024 113111th/210 · 2024
Fixed broadband i per 100 people 27.170th/208 · 2024 38.929th/208 · 2024
Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) i score 1–5 2.7071st/164 · 2022 3.9016th/164 · 2022
Rail lines i route-km 85,5443rd/82 · 2021 148,5531st/82 · 2021
Air passengers carried i passengers 98.9 m8th/161 · 2023 941.6 m1st/161 · 2023
Environment & energy
CO₂ emissions per person i t CO₂e 13.98190th/203 · 2024 13.62189th/203 · 2024
Renewable energy i % of final energy use 3.5%172nd/212 · 2021 10.9%142nd/212 · 2021
Air pollution (PM2.5) i µg/m³ 11.659th/200 · 2023 7.025th/200 · 2023
Forest area i % of land area 50.8%56th/214 · 2024 33.8%102nd/214 · 2024
Energy use per person i kg oil eq. 5,72711th/149 · 2024 6,45410th/149 · 2024
Institutions & safety
Government effectiveness i score 0–100 42.1143rd/205 · 2025 76.732nd/205 · 2025
Control of corruption i score 0–100 28.2167th/207 · 2025 65.544th/207 · 2025
Rule of law i score 0–100 37.7186th/207 · 2025 71.747th/207 · 2025
Political stability i score 0–100 49.0179th/207 · 2025 60.3136th/207 · 2025
Regulatory quality i score 0–100 34.9182nd/205 · 2025 72.831st/205 · 2025
Voice & accountability i score 0–100 31.3178th/205 · 2025 69.659th/205 · 2025
Homicide rate i per 100,000 6.8107th/145 · 2021 5.8100th/145 · 2023
Military
Military expenditure i USD $190.42 bn3rd/156 · 2025 $954.39 bn1st/156 · 2025
Military expenditure i % of GDP 7.5%4th/156 · 2025 3.1%27th/156 · 2025
Military expenditure i % of government spending 19.8%9th/154 · 2025 8.3%37th/154 · 2025
Armed forces personnel i people 1.5 m4th/170 · 2020 1.4 m5th/170 · 2020
Armed forces personnel i % of labour force 1.98%29th/168 · 2020 0.84%84th/168 · 2020
Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) i TIV 129.0 m44th/163 · 2025 745.0 m13th/163 · 2025
Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) i TIV 1.9 bn5th/65 · 2025 14.0 bn1st/65 · 2025
Science & innovation
R&D spending i % of GDP 0.94%44th/110 · 2024 3.45%5th/110 · 2023
Patent applications by residents i applications 21,5027th/137 · 2024 270,2952nd/137 · 2024
Scientific articles i articles 85,5587th/197 · 2023 430,8432nd/197 · 2023

Questions and answers

Which has more people, Russia or United States?

United States has the larger population: 341.8 m (2025) compared with 143.5 m for Russia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.

Which is bigger by area, Russia or United States?

Russia is larger: 17,125,190 km² (2024) compared with 9,831,510 km² for United States (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.

Which economy is larger, Russia or United States?

United States has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $30.77 trn intl. (2025) compared with $7.24 trn intl. for Russia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.

Which is richer per person, Russia or United States?

United States has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $90,027 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 States?

United States has the higher life expectancy at birth: 78.9 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 States?

United States spends more on the military: $954.39 bn (2025) compared with $190.42 bn for Russia (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.

Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Russia or United States?

United States: 72.3 points (30th 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.

More comparisons

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). Russia vs United States — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/russia-vs-united-states. Data as of 26 October 2026.

Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Russia vs United States — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/russia-vs-united-states. Data as of 26 October 2026.
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