Updated
Overview
Germany has 15 times the population of Norway: 83.49 million people against 5.61 million (2025).
Germany's economy is 9.5 times the size of Norway's, at $5.05T versus $530.76B.
Per person, Norway is the wealthier of the two: $94,594 against $60,496 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Germany | Norway | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $5.05T | $530.76B | 2025 | $4.66T / $483.73B |
| GDP per capita | $60,496 | Higher: $94,594 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.2% | Higher: 1.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.2% | 3.1% | 2025 | 2.3% / 3.1% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.7% | 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 80 | 91 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $4,647 | Higher: $6,440 | 2022 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $2,442 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $8.05 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 83.49 million | 5.61 million | 2025 | 84.01 million / 5.51 million |
| Population growth | 0.0% | 0.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.5 yrs | 39.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.46 | 1.42 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 80.8 yrs | Higher: 83.2 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 82% | 84% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 93% | Higher: 99% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 357,114 km² | 323,802 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 233.8/km² | 17.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 572 Mt | Lower: 37 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.8 t | Lower: 6.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $88.46B | $10.44B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 2.1% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 183,000 | 25,000 | 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
Norway is growing faster: 1.1% annual GDP growth versus 0.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.2% in Germany and 3.1% in Norway.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Germany: a price level of 80 versus 91 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Norway: $6,440 against $4,647 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Norway is the younger society: median age 39.8 versus 45.5 years.
Life expectancy is 2.4 years longer in Norway (83.2 vs 80.8).
Geography
By land area, Germany is 10% larger than Norway: 357,114 km² versus 323,802 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 8.5 times as much on defence as Norway: $88.46B versus $10.44B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Germany fields the larger armed forces: 183,000 personnel against 25,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Germany bigger than Norway?
- Germany is larger by land area. Germany covers 357,114 km² while Norway covers 323,802 km², so Germany is 10% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Germany or Norway?
- Germany has the larger population: 83.49 million versus 5.61 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Germany richer than Norway?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Norway is richer: $94,594 against $60,496. Total GDP tells a different story: $5.05T for Germany versus $530.76B for Norway.
- Who spends more on their military, Germany or Norway?
- Germany spends more: $88.46B versus $10.44B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).