Updated
Overview
Germany has 15 times the population of Finland: 83.49 million people against 5.65 million (2025).
Germany's economy is 16 times the size of Finland's, at $5.05T versus $317.04B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Germany | Finland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $5.05T | $317.04B | 2025 | $4.66T / $299.84B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $60,496 | $56,149 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 0.2% | 0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 2.2% | Lower: 0.3% | 2025 | 2.3% / 1.6% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.7% | 9.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 80 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $4,647 | Higher: $5,760 | 2022 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $2,442 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 83.49 million | 5.65 million | 2025 | 84.01 million / 5.55 million |
| Population growth | 0.0% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.5 yrs | 43.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.46 | 1.30 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 80.8 yrs | Higher: 82.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 82% | 75% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 93% | Higher: 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 357,114 km² | 338,424 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 233.8/km² | 16.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 572 Mt | Lower: 30 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.8 t | Lower: 5.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $88.46B | $6.99B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 2.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 183,000 | 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
Both economies are growing at a similar pace (0.2% for Germany, 0.2% for Finland).
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.2% in Germany and 0.3% in Finland.
Average monthly earnings favour Finland: $5,760 against $4,647 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Finland is the younger society: median age 43.2 versus 45.5 years.
Life expectancy is 1.5 years longer in Finland (82.3 vs 80.8).
Geography
By land area, Germany is almost exactly the same size as Finland: 357,114 km² versus 338,424 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Germany is far more densely settled: 234 people per km² against 17.
Military
Germany spends 13 times as much on defence as Finland: $88.46B versus $6.99B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Germany fields the larger armed forces: 183,000 personnel against 22,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Germany bigger than Finland?
- The two are almost exactly the same size. Germany covers 357,114 km² while Finland covers 338,424 km², a difference of under 6%.
- Which has more people, Germany or Finland?
- Germany has the larger population: 83.49 million versus 5.65 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Germany richer than Finland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Germany is richer: $60,496 against $56,149. Total GDP tells the same story: $5.05T for Germany versus $317.04B for Finland.
- Who spends more on their military, Germany or Finland?
- Germany spends more: $88.46B versus $6.99B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).