Updated
Overview
Bangladesh has 3.3 times the population of Colombia: 175.69 million people against 53.43 million (2025).
Their economies are close in size: $456.32B for Bangladesh and $457.41B for Colombia.
Per person, Colombia is the wealthier of the two: $8,562 against $2,597 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Bangladesh | Colombia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $456.32B | Higher: $457.41B | 2025 | $450.12B / $418.54B |
| GDP per capita | $2,597 | Higher: $8,562 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.5% | 2.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 8.8% | Lower: 5.1% | 2025 | 10.5% / 6.6% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.8% | 8.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 25 | 38 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $134 | Higher: $499 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $108 | Higher: $319 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $8.00 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 175.69 million | 53.43 million | 2025 | 174.37 million / 49.84 million |
| Population growth | 1.2% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 26.0 yrs | 32.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.11 | 1.62 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 74.9 yrs | Higher: 77.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 33% | 79% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 53% | Higher: 79% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 147,570 km² | 1,141,748 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 1190.5/km² | 46.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 108 Mt | Lower: 93 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.6 t | 1.8 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $4.03B | $15.10B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 3.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 227,000 | 428,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Bangladesh is growing faster: 3.5% annual GDP growth versus 2.6%.
Bangladesh runs the hotter price environment: 8.8% inflation versus 5.1%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Bangladesh: a price level of 25 versus 38 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Colombia: $499 against $134 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Bangladesh is the younger society: median age 26.0 versus 32.5 years.
Life expectancy is 3.0 years longer in Colombia (77.9 vs 74.9).
Colombia is considerably more urbanized: 79% of people live in cities, against 33%.
Internet adoption is higher in Colombia (79% vs 53% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Bangladesh is 87% smaller than Colombia: 147,570 km² versus 1,141,748 km².
Bangladesh is far more densely settled: 1191 people per km² against 47.
Military
Colombia spends 3.7 times as much on defence as Bangladesh: $15.10B versus $4.03B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Colombia carries the heavier military burden: 3.4% of GDP versus 0.9%.
Colombia fields the larger armed forces: 428,000 personnel against 227,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Bangladesh bigger than Colombia?
- Colombia is larger by land area. Bangladesh covers 147,570 km² while Colombia covers 1,141,748 km², so Colombia is 7.7 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Bangladesh or Colombia?
- Bangladesh has the larger population: 175.69 million versus 53.43 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Bangladesh richer than Colombia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Colombia is richer: $8,562 against $2,597. Total GDP tells the same story: $456.32B for Bangladesh versus $457.41B for Colombia.
- Who spends more on their military, Bangladesh or Colombia?
- Colombia spends more: $15.10B versus $4.03B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).