Updated
Overview
Egypt has 11 times the population of Sweden: 118.37 million people against 10.60 million (2025).
Sweden's economy is about 85% larger than Egypt's, at $669.00B versus $365.25B.
Per person, Sweden is the wealthier of the two: $63,133 against $3,086 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Egypt | Sweden | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $365.25B | Higher: $669.00B | 2025 | $389.06B / $610.12B |
| GDP per capita | $3,086 | Higher: $63,133 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 4.4% | 1.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 14.1% | Lower: 0.7% | 2025 | 28.3% / 2.8% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 6.8% | 8.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 15 | 87 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $109 | Higher: $4,783 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $132 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $2.87 | $7.16 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 118.37 million | 10.60 million | 2025 | 112.87 million / 10.64 million |
| Population growth | 1.6% | 0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 24.5 yrs | 40.3 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.71 | 1.44 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 71.8 yrs | Higher: 84.1 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 43% | 89% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 75% | Higher: 96% | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,002,450 km² | 450,295 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 118.1/km² | 23.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 258 Mt | Lower: 38 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 2.2 t | 3.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $2.40B | $12.04B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.7% | 2.0% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 836,000 | 15,000 | 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
Egypt is growing faster: 4.4% annual GDP growth versus 1.5%.
Egypt runs the hotter price environment: 14.1% inflation versus 0.7%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Egypt: a price level of 15 versus 87 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Sweden: $4,783 against $109 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Egypt is the far younger society: median age 24.5 versus 40.3 years.
Life expectancy is 12.3 years longer in Sweden (84.1 vs 71.8).
Sweden is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 43%.
Internet adoption is higher in Sweden (96% vs 75% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Egypt is 2.2 times the size of Sweden: 1,002,450 km² versus 450,295 km².
Egypt is far more densely settled: 118 people per km² against 24.
Military
Sweden spends 5.0 times as much on defence as Egypt: $12.04B versus $2.40B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Sweden carries the heavier military burden: 2.0% of GDP versus 0.7%.
Egypt fields the larger armed forces: 836,000 personnel against 15,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Egypt bigger than Sweden?
- Egypt is larger by land area. Egypt covers 1,002,450 km² while Sweden covers 450,295 km², so Egypt is 2.2 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Egypt or Sweden?
- Egypt has the larger population: 118.37 million versus 10.60 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Egypt richer than Sweden?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Sweden is richer: $63,133 against $3,086. Total GDP tells the same story: $365.25B for Egypt versus $669.00B for Sweden.
- Who spends more on their military, Egypt or Sweden?
- Sweden spends more: $12.04B versus $2.40B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).