Country comparison

France United Kingdom

How do France and United Kingdom compare on area, population, economy and living standards? Every figure below comes from open data, computed at build time.

France vs United Kingdom at a glance

France vs United Kingdom in the world: GDP per capita

GDP per capita log axis

GDP per capita across 168 countries with data: France at $48,986, United Kingdom at $57,602, world median $6,834, logarithmic axis. Median $6,834 France · $48,986 United Kingdom · $57,602

Every dot is one country with data — the two highlighted dots are these countries; the dashed line marks the world median. Wide-range metrics use a logarithmic axis (tagged).

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FranceUnited Kingdom — France's GDP per capita is about 85% of United Kingdom's.

Side-by-side metric comparison
MetricFranceUnited KingdomA vs B
Population & land
Population68.7M (2025)69.5M (2025)99%
Population growth0.2% (2025)0.3% (2025)83%
Urban population share78.8% (2025)83.3% (2025)95%
Population aged 65+22.5% (2025)19.7% (2025)1.1×
Fertility rate1.6 (2024)1.6 (2024)1.0×
Birth rate9.7‰ (2024)9.9‰ (2024)98%
Death rate9.4‰ (2024)9.7‰ (2024)97%
Net migration91.7K (2025)389.9K (2025)24%
Surface area606,410 km² (2023)243,610 km² (2023)2.5×
Population densityderived113/km² (2025)285/km² (2025)40%
Economy
GDP (total)$3.4T (2025)$4T (2025)84%
GDP per capita$48,986 (2025)$57,602 (2025)85%
GNI per capita$48,630 (2025)$54,550 (2025)89%
GDP growth (annual)0.8% (2025)1.4% (2025)61%
Inflation rate0.9% (2025)3.9% (2025)24%
Unemployment rate7.5% (2025)4.7% (2025)1.6×
Gini index31.8 (2023)32.4 (2021)98%
Poverty rate ($2.15/day)0.1% (2023)0.4% (2021)25%
Trade & industry
Exports share of GDP33.4% (2025)30.6% (2025)1.1×
Imports share of GDP33.8% (2025)31.9% (2025)1.1×
Agriculture share of GDP1.4% (2025)0.6% (2025)2.2×
Manufacturing share of GDP9.5% (2025)7.7% (2025)1.2×
International tourist arrivals117.1M (2020)11.1M (2020)11×
Tourism receipts$36B (2020)$31.7B (1998)1.1×
Health & education
Life expectancy83.0 years (2024)81.4 years (2024)1.0×
Infant mortality3.4‰ (2024)4.1‰ (2024)83%
Under-five mortality4.3‰ (2024)4.7‰ (2024)91%
DPT immunization96.0% (2024)92.0% (2024)1.0×
Hospital beds5.7 per 1,000 (2022)2.4 per 1,000 (2022)2.3×
Health spending share of GDP11.5% (2024)11.1% (2024)1.0×
Secondary school enrollment103.8% (2024)112.1% (2023)93%
Education spending share of GDP5.3% (2022)5.9% (2021)90%
Society & living
Human Development Index0.920 (2023)0.946 (2023)97%
Internet users88.7% (2024)95.5% (2024)93%
Mobile subscriptions116.7 per 100 (2023)121.6 per 100 (2024)96%
Fixed broadband48.9 per 100 (2024)42.2 per 100 (2024)1.2×
Electricity access100.0% (2024)100.0% (2024)1.0×
Environment & security
CO₂ emissions per capita4.0 t (2024)4.2 t (2024)95%
CO₂ emissions (total)derived274 Mt (2024)292 Mt (2024)94%
Renewable electricity share22.8% (2021)40.2% (2021)57%
Renewable energy consumption16.2% (2021)12.2% (2021)1.3×
Forest area32.5% (2023)13.3% (2023)2.4×
Agricultural land52.5% (2023)70.3% (2023)75%
Arable land31.4% (2023)25.0% (2023)1.3×
PM2.5 exposure8.2 µg/m³ (2023)9.5 µg/m³ (2023)87%
Military spending2.1% (2024)2.3% (2024)90%

Population density is our own derived metric: latest population ÷ the displayed surface area (World Bank surface-area figures where available) — so it can differ from the World Bank's own land-area-based density.

France

Capital
Paris
Languages
French
Currencies
EUR
Subregion
Western Europe

United Kingdom

Capital
London
Languages
English
Currencies
GBP
Subregion
Northern Europe

France vs United Kingdom in five metrics

Horizontal bar chart comparing France and United Kingdom on area, population, GDP, GDP per capita and life expectancy; the longer bar is the larger value within each metric. France United Kingdom Surface area (2023) 606,410 km² 243,610 km² Population (2025) 68.7M 69.5M GDP (total) (2025) $3.4T $4T GDP per capita (2025) $48,986 $57,602 Life expectancy (2024) 83.0 years 81.4 years

Full metric comparison

Side-by-side metric comparison
Metric France United Kingdom A vs B
Population & land
Population 68.7M (2025) 69.5M (2025) 99%
Population growth 0.2% (2025) 0.3% (2025) 83%
Urban population share 78.8% (2025) 83.3% (2025) 95%
Population aged 65+ 22.5% (2025) 19.7% (2025) 1.1×
Fertility rate 1.6 (2024) 1.6 (2024) 1.0×
Birth rate 9.7‰ (2024) 9.9‰ (2024) 98%
Death rate 9.4‰ (2024) 9.7‰ (2024) 97%
Net migration 91.7K (2025) 389.9K (2025) 24%
Surface area 606,410 km² (2023) 243,610 km² (2023) 2.5×
Population density derived 113/km² (2025) 285/km² (2025) 40%
Economy
GDP (total) $3.4T (2025) $4T (2025) 84%
GDP per capita $48,986 (2025) $57,602 (2025) 85%
GNI per capita $48,630 (2025) $54,550 (2025) 89%
GDP growth (annual) 0.8% (2025) 1.4% (2025) 61%
Inflation rate 0.9% (2025) 3.9% (2025) 24%
Unemployment rate 7.5% (2025) 4.7% (2025) 1.6×
Gini index 31.8 (2023) 32.4 (2021) 98%
Poverty rate ($2.15/day) 0.1% (2023) 0.4% (2021) 25%
Trade & industry
Exports share of GDP 33.4% (2025) 30.6% (2025) 1.1×
Imports share of GDP 33.8% (2025) 31.9% (2025) 1.1×
Agriculture share of GDP 1.4% (2025) 0.6% (2025) 2.2×
Manufacturing share of GDP 9.5% (2025) 7.7% (2025) 1.2×
International tourist arrivals 117.1M (2020) 11.1M (2020) 11×
Tourism receipts $36B (2020) $31.7B (1998) 1.1×
Health & education
Life expectancy 83.0 years (2024) 81.4 years (2024) 1.0×
Infant mortality 3.4‰ (2024) 4.1‰ (2024) 83%
Under-five mortality 4.3‰ (2024) 4.7‰ (2024) 91%
DPT immunization 96.0% (2024) 92.0% (2024) 1.0×
Hospital beds 5.7 per 1,000 (2022) 2.4 per 1,000 (2022) 2.3×
Health spending share of GDP 11.5% (2024) 11.1% (2024) 1.0×
Secondary school enrollment 103.8% (2024) 112.1% (2023) 93%
Education spending share of GDP 5.3% (2022) 5.9% (2021) 90%
Society & living
Human Development Index 0.920 (2023) 0.946 (2023) 97%
Internet users 88.7% (2024) 95.5% (2024) 93%
Mobile subscriptions 116.7 per 100 (2023) 121.6 per 100 (2024) 96%
Fixed broadband 48.9 per 100 (2024) 42.2 per 100 (2024) 1.2×
Electricity access 100.0% (2024) 100.0% (2024) 1.0×
Environment & security
CO₂ emissions per capita 4.0 t (2024) 4.2 t (2024) 95%
CO₂ emissions (total) derived 274 Mt (2024) 292 Mt (2024) 94%
Renewable electricity share 22.8% (2021) 40.2% (2021) 57%
Renewable energy consumption 16.2% (2021) 12.2% (2021) 1.3×
Forest area 32.5% (2023) 13.3% (2023) 2.4×
Agricultural land 52.5% (2023) 70.3% (2023) 75%
Arable land 31.4% (2023) 25.0% (2023) 1.3×
PM2.5 exposure 8.2 µg/m³ (2023) 9.5 µg/m³ (2023) 87%
Military spending 2.1% (2024) 2.3% (2024) 90%

Population density is our own derived metric: latest population ÷ the displayed surface area (World Bank surface-area figures where available) — so it can differ from the World Bank's own land-area-based density.

Reference facts

Metric France United Kingdom
Capital Paris London
Languages French English
Currencies EUR GBP
Subregion Western Europe Northern Europe

Frequently asked questions

Which is bigger, France or United Kingdom?

France's surface area is larger: about 2.5× United Kingdom's (606,410 km² vs 243,610 km²).

Which has a larger population, France or United Kingdom?

France's population is smaller: about 99% of United Kingdom's (68.7M vs 69.5M).

Which economy is larger, France or United Kingdom?

France's GDP (total) is smaller: about 84% of United Kingdom's ($3.4T vs $4T).

Which has a higher GDP per capita, France or United Kingdom?

France's GDP per capita is smaller: about 85% of United Kingdom's ($48,986 vs $57,602).

Open the interactive compare tool with France and United Kingdom preselected

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Distance between France and United Kingdom →

France country profile: key metrics vs world median →

United Kingdom country profile: key metrics vs world median →

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Data & method

Indicators: World Bank Open Data, 43 indicators — CC BY 4.0 © World Bank — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; Surface area (sq. km) — CC BY 4.0 © World Bank — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; Human Development Index — CC BY 3.0 IGO © United Nations Development Programme — https://hdr.undp.org/terms-use

Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:110m (public domain); surface areas follow the World Bank AG.SRF.TOTL.K2 figures, with mledoze/countries (or a measured Natural Earth boundary, marked †) only where World Bank coverage is missing.

Reference facts (capital, languages, currencies, subregion): mledoze/countries (ODbL).