Updated
Overview
Chile and Romania are nearly matched in population: 19.86 million versus 19.02 million people (2025).
Romania's economy is 20% larger than Chile's, at $428.68B versus $357.37B.
Per person, Romania is the wealthier of the two: $22,538 against $17,995 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Chile | Romania | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $357.37B | Higher: $428.68B | 2025 | $330.27B / $382.77B |
| GDP per capita | $17,995 | Higher: $22,538 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 2.5% | 0.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 4.2% | 7.2% | 2025 | 4.3% / 5.7% |
| Unemployment | 9.0% | Lower: 6.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 48 | 44 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $1,024 | Higher: $1,722 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $530 | Higher: $906 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.41 | $4.01 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 19.86 million | 19.02 million | 2025 | 19.09 million / 18.15 million |
| Population growth | 0.5% | -0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 36.9 yrs | 43.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.13 | 1.71 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 81.4 yrs | 76.5 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 52% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 91% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 756,102 km² | 238,391 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 26.3/km² | 79.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 79 Mt | Lower: 69 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 4.0 t | Lower: 3.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.11B | $8.72B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.6% | 2.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 114,000 | 128,000 | 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 0.7%.
Romania runs the hotter price environment: 7.2% inflation versus 4.2%.
Average monthly earnings favour Romania: $1,722 against $1,024 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Chile is the younger society: median age 36.9 versus 43.2 years.
Life expectancy is 4.9 years longer in Chile (81.4 vs 76.5).
Chile is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 52%.
Geography
By land area, Chile is 3.2 times the size of Romania: 756,102 km² versus 238,391 km².
Romania is far more densely settled: 80 people per km² against 26.
Military
Romania spends about 70% more on defence than Chile: $8.72B versus $5.11B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Romania fields the larger armed forces: 128,000 personnel against 114,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Chile bigger than Romania?
- Chile is larger by land area. Chile covers 756,102 km² while Romania covers 238,391 km², so Chile is 3.2 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Chile or Romania?
- Chile has the larger population: 19.86 million versus 19.02 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Chile richer than Romania?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Romania is richer: $22,538 against $17,995. Total GDP tells the same story: $357.37B for Chile versus $428.68B for Romania.
- Who spends more on their military, Chile or Romania?
- Romania spends more: $8.72B versus $5.11B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).