Updated
Overview
Japan has 3.3 times the population of Saudi Arabia: 123.37 million people against 36.97 million (2025).
Japan's economy is 3.5 times the size of Saudi Arabia's, at $4.44T versus $1.28T.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Japan | Saudi Arabia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $4.44T | $1.28T | 2025 | $4.03T / $1.24T |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $35,951 | $34,537 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.2% | Higher: 4.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.2% | Lower: 2.1% | 2025 | 2.7% / 1.7% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.5% | 3.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 47 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $2,801 | $1,799 | 2021 / 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,207 | $1,067 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.08 | $5.06 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 123.37 million | 36.97 million | 2025 | 123.20 million / 36.54 million |
| Population growth | -0.5% | 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 49.8 yrs | 29.6 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 2.29 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 84.0 yrs | 79.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 92% | 85% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 86% | Higher: 100% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 377,930 km² | 2,149,690 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 326.4/km² | 17.2/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 962 Mt | Lower: 692 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 7.8 t | 20.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $55.27B | $80.33B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 7.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 261,000 | 282,000 | 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
Saudi Arabia is growing much faster: 4.5% annual GDP growth versus 1.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in Japan and 2.1% in Saudi Arabia.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Saudi Arabia: a price level of 47 versus 65 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Japan: $2,801 against $1,799 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Saudi Arabia is the far younger society: median age 29.6 versus 49.8 years.
Life expectancy is 5.1 years longer in Japan (84.0 vs 79.0).
Internet adoption is higher in Saudi Arabia (100% vs 86% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Japan is 82% smaller than Saudi Arabia: 377,930 km² versus 2,149,690 km².
Japan is far more densely settled: 326 people per km² against 17.
Military
Saudi Arabia spends about 45% more on defence than Japan: $80.33B versus $55.27B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Saudi Arabia carries the heavier military burden: 7.3% of GDP versus 1.4%.
Saudi Arabia fields the larger armed forces: 282,000 personnel against 261,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Japan bigger than Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia is larger by land area. Japan covers 377,930 km² while Saudi Arabia covers 2,149,690 km², so Saudi Arabia is 5.7 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
- Japan has the larger population: 123.37 million versus 36.97 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Japan richer than Saudi Arabia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Japan is richer: $35,951 against $34,537. Total GDP tells the same story: $4.44T for Japan versus $1.28T for Saudi Arabia.
- Who spends more on their military, Japan or Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia spends more: $80.33B versus $55.27B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).