Updated
Overview
Bangladesh has 2.5 times the population of Thailand: 175.69 million people against 71.62 million (2025).
Thailand's economy is 26% larger than Bangladesh's, at $577.01B versus $456.32B.
Per person, Thailand is the wealthier of the two: $8,057 against $2,597 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Bangladesh | Thailand | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $456.32B | Higher: $577.01B | 2025 | $450.12B / $526.41B |
| GDP per capita | $2,597 | Higher: $8,057 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.5% | 2.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 8.8% | Lower: -0.1% | 2025 | 10.5% / 1.4% |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | Lower: 0.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 25 | 31 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $134 | Higher: $508 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $108 | Higher: $254 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $4.02 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 175.69 million | 71.62 million | 2025 | 174.37 million / 70.03 million |
| Population growth | 1.2% | -0.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 26.0 yrs | 40.6 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.11 | 1.19 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 74.9 yrs | Higher: 76.6 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 33% | 63% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 53% | Higher: 91% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 147,570 km² | 513,120 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 1190.5/km² | 139.6/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 108 Mt | 268 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.6 t | 3.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $4.03B | $5.52B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 1.1% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 227,000 | 455,000 | 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 2.4%.
Bangladesh runs the hotter price environment: 8.8% inflation versus -0.1%.
Average monthly earnings favour Thailand: $508 against $134 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Bangladesh is the far younger society: median age 26.0 versus 40.6 years.
Life expectancy is 1.6 years longer in Thailand (76.6 vs 74.9).
Thailand is considerably more urbanized: 63% of people live in cities, against 33%.
Internet adoption is higher in Thailand (91% vs 53% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Bangladesh is 71% smaller than Thailand: 147,570 km² versus 513,120 km².
Bangladesh is far more densely settled: 1191 people per km² against 140.
Military
Thailand spends about 35% more on defence than Bangladesh: $5.52B versus $4.03B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Thailand fields the larger armed forces: 455,000 personnel against 227,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Bangladesh bigger than Thailand?
- Thailand is larger by land area. Bangladesh covers 147,570 km² while Thailand covers 513,120 km², so Thailand is 3.5 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Bangladesh or Thailand?
- Bangladesh has the larger population: 175.69 million versus 71.62 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Bangladesh richer than Thailand?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Thailand is richer: $8,057 against $2,597. Total GDP tells the same story: $456.32B for Bangladesh versus $577.01B for Thailand.
- Who spends more on their military, Bangladesh or Thailand?
- Thailand spends more: $5.52B versus $4.03B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).