Updated
Overview
Chile has 3.5 times the population of Norway: 19.86 million people against 5.61 million (2025).
Norway's economy is about 50% larger than Chile's, at $530.76B versus $357.37B.
Per person, Norway is the wealthier of the two: $94,594 against $17,995 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Chile | Norway | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $357.37B | Higher: $530.76B | 2025 | $330.27B / $483.73B |
| GDP per capita | $17,995 | Higher: $94,594 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 2.5% | 1.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 4.2% | Lower: 3.1% | 2025 | 4.3% / 3.1% |
| Unemployment | 9.0% | Lower: 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 48 | 91 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $1,024 | Higher: $6,440 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $530 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.41 | $8.05 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 19.86 million | 5.61 million | 2025 | 19.09 million / 5.51 million |
| Population growth | 0.5% | 0.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 36.9 yrs | 39.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.13 | 1.42 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 81.4 yrs | Higher: 83.2 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 84% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 96% | Higher: 99% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 756,102 km² | 323,802 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 26.3/km² | 17.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 79 Mt | Lower: 37 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.0 t | 6.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.11B | $10.44B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.6% | 2.1% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 114,000 | 25,000 | 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
Chile is growing faster: 2.5% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 4.2% in Chile and 3.1% in Norway.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Chile: a price level of 48 versus 91 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Norway: $6,440 against $1,024 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Chile is the younger society: median age 36.9 versus 39.8 years.
Life expectancy is 1.8 years longer in Norway (83.2 vs 81.4).
Geography
By land area, Chile is 2.3 times the size of Norway: 756,102 km² versus 323,802 km².
Military
Norway spends 2.0 times as much on defence as Chile: $10.44B versus $5.11B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Chile fields the larger armed forces: 114,000 personnel against 25,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Chile bigger than Norway?
- Chile is larger by land area. Chile covers 756,102 km² while Norway covers 323,802 km², so Chile is 2.3 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Chile or Norway?
- Chile has the larger population: 19.86 million versus 5.61 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Chile richer than Norway?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Norway is richer: $94,594 against $17,995. Total GDP tells the same story: $357.37B for Chile versus $530.76B for Norway.
- Who spends more on their military, Chile or Norway?
- Norway spends more: $10.44B versus $5.11B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).