Updated
Overview
Japan and Egypt are nearly matched in population: 123.37 million versus 118.37 million people (2025).
Japan's economy is 12 times the size of Egypt's, at $4.44T versus $365.25B.
Per person, Japan is the wealthier of the two: $35,951 against $3,086 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Japan | Egypt | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $4.44T | $365.25B | 2025 | $4.03T / $389.06B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $35,951 | $3,086 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.2% | Higher: 4.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.2% | 14.1% | 2025 | 2.7% / 28.3% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.5% | 6.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 15 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $2,801 | $109 | 2021 / 2024 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,207 | $132 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.08 | $2.87 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 123.37 million | 118.37 million | 2025 | 123.20 million / 112.87 million |
| Population growth | -0.5% | 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 49.8 yrs | 24.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 2.71 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 84.0 yrs | 71.8 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 92% | 43% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 86% | 75% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 377,930 km² | 1,002,450 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 326.4/km² | 118.1/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 962 Mt | Lower: 258 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.8 t | Lower: 2.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $55.27B | $2.40B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 0.7% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 261,000 | 836,000 | 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
Egypt is growing much faster: 4.4% annual GDP growth versus 1.2%.
Egypt runs the hotter price environment: 14.1% inflation versus 3.2%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Egypt: a price level of 15 versus 65 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Japan: $2,801 against $109 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Egypt is the far younger society: median age 24.5 versus 49.8 years.
Life expectancy is 12.2 years longer in Japan (84.0 vs 71.8).
Japan is considerably more urbanized: 92% of people live in cities, against 43%.
Internet adoption is higher in Japan (86% vs 75% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Japan is 62% smaller than Egypt: 377,930 km² versus 1,002,450 km².
Japan is far more densely settled: 326 people per km² against 118.
Military
Japan spends 23 times as much on defence as Egypt: $55.27B versus $2.40B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Egypt fields the larger armed forces: 836,000 personnel against 261,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Japan bigger than Egypt?
- Egypt is larger by land area. Japan covers 377,930 km² while Egypt covers 1,002,450 km², so Egypt is 2.7 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Japan or Egypt?
- Japan has the larger population: 123.37 million versus 118.37 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Japan richer than Egypt?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Japan is richer: $35,951 against $3,086. Total GDP tells the same story: $4.44T for Japan versus $365.25B for Egypt.
- Who spends more on their military, Japan or Egypt?
- Japan spends more: $55.27B versus $2.40B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).