Updated
Overview
France has 3.5 times the population of Chile: 68.72 million people against 19.86 million (2025).
France's economy is 9.4 times the size of Chile's, at $3.37T versus $357.37B.
Per person, France is the wealthier of the two: $48,986 against $17,995 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | France | Chile | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $3.37T | $357.37B | 2025 | $3.16T / $330.27B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $48,986 | $17,995 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.8% | Higher: 2.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 0.9% | 4.2% | 2025 | 2.0% / 4.3% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 7.5% | 9.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 77 | 48 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $5,024 | $1,024 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $2,036 | $530 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $5.41 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 68.72 million | 19.86 million | 2025 | 68.51 million / 19.09 million |
| Population growth | 0.2% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 42.3 yrs | 36.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.64 | 1.13 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.0 yrs | 81.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 79% | 89% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 89% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 643,801 km² | 756,102 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 106.7/km² | 26.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 264 Mt | Lower: 79 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.0 t | 4.0 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $64.68B | $5.11B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.1% | 1.6% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 304,000 | 114,000 | 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 0.8%.
Chile runs the hotter price environment: 4.2% inflation versus 0.9%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Chile: a price level of 48 versus 77 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour France: $5,024 against $1,024 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Chile is the younger society: median age 36.9 versus 42.3 years.
Life expectancy is 1.6 years longer in France (83.0 vs 81.4).
Chile is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 79%.
Geography
By land area, France is 15% smaller than Chile: 643,801 km² versus 756,102 km².
France is far more densely settled: 107 people per km² against 26.
Military
France spends 13 times as much on defence as Chile: $64.68B versus $5.11B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
France fields the larger armed forces: 304,000 personnel against 114,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is France bigger than Chile?
- Chile is larger by land area. France covers 643,801 km² while Chile covers 756,102 km², so Chile is 17% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, France or Chile?
- France has the larger population: 68.72 million versus 19.86 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is France richer than Chile?
- Measured by GDP per capita, France is richer: $48,986 against $17,995. Total GDP tells the same story: $3.37T for France versus $357.37B for Chile.
- Who spends more on their military, France or Chile?
- France spends more: $64.68B versus $5.11B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).