Updated
Overview
Japan has 2.3 times the population of Colombia: 123.37 million people against 53.43 million (2025).
Japan's economy is 9.7 times the size of Colombia's, at $4.44T versus $457.41B.
Per person, Japan is the wealthier of the two: $35,951 against $8,562 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Japan | Colombia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $4.44T | $457.41B | 2025 | $4.03T / $418.54B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $35,951 | $8,562 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.2% | Higher: 2.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.2% | 5.1% | 2025 | 2.7% / 6.6% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.5% | 8.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 38 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $2,801 | $499 | 2021 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,207 | $319 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.08 | $8.00 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 123.37 million | 53.43 million | 2025 | 123.20 million / 49.84 million |
| Population growth | -0.5% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 49.8 yrs | 32.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.62 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 84.0 yrs | 77.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 92% | 79% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 86% | 79% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 377,930 km² | 1,141,748 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 326.4/km² | 46.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 962 Mt | Lower: 93 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.8 t | Lower: 1.8 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $55.27B | $15.10B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 3.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 261,000 | 428,000 | 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
Colombia is growing faster: 2.6% annual GDP growth versus 1.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in Japan and 5.1% in Colombia.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Colombia: a price level of 38 versus 65 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Japan: $2,801 against $499 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Colombia is the far younger society: median age 32.5 versus 49.8 years.
Life expectancy is 6.1 years longer in Japan (84.0 vs 77.9).
Japan is considerably more urbanized: 92% of people live in cities, against 79%.
Geography
By land area, Japan is 67% smaller than Colombia: 377,930 km² versus 1,141,748 km².
Japan is far more densely settled: 326 people per km² against 47.
Military
Japan spends 3.7 times as much on defence as Colombia: $55.27B versus $15.10B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Colombia carries the heavier military burden: 3.4% of GDP versus 1.4%.
Colombia fields the larger armed forces: 428,000 personnel against 261,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Japan bigger than Colombia?
- Colombia is larger by land area. Japan covers 377,930 km² while Colombia covers 1,141,748 km², so Colombia is 3.0 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Japan or Colombia?
- Japan has the larger population: 123.37 million versus 53.43 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Japan richer than Colombia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Japan is richer: $35,951 against $8,562. Total GDP tells the same story: $4.44T for Japan versus $457.41B for Colombia.
- Who spends more on their military, Japan or Colombia?
- Japan spends more: $55.27B versus $15.10B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).