Updated
Overview
France has 12 times the population of Finland: 68.72 million people against 5.65 million (2025).
France's economy is 11 times the size of Finland's, at $3.37T versus $317.04B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | France | Finland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $3.37T | $317.04B | 2025 | $3.16T / $299.84B |
| GDP per capita | $48,986 | Higher: $56,149 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 0.8% | 0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 0.9% | Lower: 0.3% | 2025 | 2.0% / 1.6% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 7.5% | 9.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 77 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $5,024 | Higher: $5,760 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $2,036 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 68.72 million | 5.65 million | 2025 | 68.51 million / 5.55 million |
| Population growth | 0.2% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 42.3 yrs | 43.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.64 | 1.30 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.0 yrs | 82.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 79% | 75% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 89% | Higher: 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 643,801 km² | 338,424 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 106.7/km² | 16.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 264 Mt | Lower: 30 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.0 t | 5.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $64.68B | $6.99B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 304,000 | 22,000 | 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
France is growing faster: 0.8% annual GDP growth versus 0.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 0.9% in France and 0.3% in Finland.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in France: a price level of 77 versus 85 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Finland: $5,760 against $5,024 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 42.3 (France) and 43.2 (Finland).
Geography
By land area, France is 90% larger than Finland: 643,801 km² versus 338,424 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
France is far more densely settled: 107 people per km² against 17.
Military
France spends 9.3 times as much on defence as Finland: $64.68B versus $6.99B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
France fields the larger armed forces: 304,000 personnel against 22,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is France bigger than Finland?
- France is larger by land area. France covers 643,801 km² while Finland covers 338,424 km², so France is 90% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, France or Finland?
- France has the larger population: 68.72 million versus 5.65 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is France richer than Finland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Finland is richer: $56,149 against $48,986. Total GDP tells a different story: $3.37T for France versus $317.04B for Finland.
- Who spends more on their military, France or Finland?
- France spends more: $64.68B versus $6.99B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).