Updated
Overview
Germany has about 70% more people than Spain: 83.49 million against 49.36 million (2025).
Germany's economy is 2.6 times the size of Spain's, at $5.05T versus $1.91T.
Per person, Germany is the wealthier of the two: $60,496 against $38,627 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Germany | Spain | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $5.05T | $1.91T | 2025 | $4.66T / $1.72T |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $60,496 | $38,627 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.2% | Higher: 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.2% | 2.7% | 2025 | 2.3% / 2.8% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.7% | 10.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 80 | 65 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $4,647 | $3,574 | 2022 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $2,442 | $1,561 | 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 83.49 million | 49.36 million | 2025 | 84.01 million / 47.28 million |
| Population growth | 0.0% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.5 yrs | 45.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.46 | 1.23 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 80.8 yrs | Higher: 83.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 82% | 81% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 93% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 357,114 km² | 505,992 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 233.8/km² | 97.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 572 Mt | Lower: 220 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.8 t | Lower: 4.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $88.46B | $24.62B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 1.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 183,000 | 199,000 | 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
Spain is growing faster: 2.8% annual GDP growth versus 0.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.2% in Germany and 2.7% in Spain.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Spain: a price level of 65 versus 80 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Germany: $4,647 against $3,574 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 45.5 (Germany) and 45.9 (Spain).
Life expectancy is 3.1 years longer in Spain (83.9 vs 80.8).
Geography
By land area, Germany is 29% smaller than Spain: 357,114 km² versus 505,992 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 98.
Military
Germany spends 3.6 times as much on defence as Spain: $88.46B versus $24.62B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Spain fields the larger armed forces: 199,000 personnel against 183,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Germany bigger than Spain?
- Spain is larger by land area. Germany covers 357,114 km² while Spain covers 505,992 km², so Spain is 42% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Germany or Spain?
- Germany has the larger population: 83.49 million versus 49.36 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Germany richer than Spain?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Germany is richer: $60,496 against $38,627. Total GDP tells the same story: $5.05T for Germany versus $1.91T for Spain.
- Who spends more on their military, Germany or Spain?
- Germany spends more: $88.46B versus $24.62B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).