Updated
Overview
Sweden has about 90% more people than Finland: 10.60 million against 5.65 million (2025).
Sweden's economy is 2.1 times the size of Finland's, at $669.00B versus $317.04B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Sweden | Finland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $669.00B | $317.04B | 2025 | $610.12B / $299.84B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $63,133 | $56,149 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 1.5% | 0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 0.7% | Lower: 0.3% | 2025 | 2.8% / 1.6% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 8.7% | 9.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 87 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $4,783 | Higher: $5,760 | 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $7.16 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 10.60 million | 5.65 million | 2025 | 10.64 million / 5.55 million |
| Population growth | 0.3% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.3 yrs | 43.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.44 | 1.30 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 84.1 yrs | 82.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 75% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 94% | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 450,295 km² | 338,424 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 23.5/km² | 16.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 38 Mt | Lower: 30 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 3.6 t | 5.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $12.04B | $6.99B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.0% | 2.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 15,000 | 22,000 | 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
Sweden is growing faster: 1.5% annual GDP growth versus 0.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 0.7% in Sweden and 0.3% in Finland.
Average monthly earnings favour Finland: $5,760 against $4,783 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Sweden is the younger society: median age 40.3 versus 43.2 years.
Life expectancy is 1.7 years longer in Sweden (84.1 vs 82.3).
Sweden is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 75%.
Geography
By land area, Sweden is 33% larger than Finland: 450,295 km² versus 338,424 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Sweden spends about 70% more on defence than Finland: $12.04B versus $6.99B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Finland fields the larger armed forces: 22,000 personnel against 15,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Sweden bigger than Finland?
- Sweden is larger by land area. Sweden covers 450,295 km² while Finland covers 338,424 km², so Sweden is 33% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Sweden or Finland?
- Sweden has the larger population: 10.60 million versus 5.65 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Sweden richer than Finland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Sweden is richer: $63,133 against $56,149. Total GDP tells the same story: $669.00B for Sweden versus $317.04B for Finland.
- Who spends more on their military, Sweden or Finland?
- Sweden spends more: $12.04B versus $6.99B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).