Updated
Overview
Thailand has 13 times the population of Finland: 71.62 million people against 5.65 million (2025).
Thailand's economy is about 80% larger than Finland's, at $577.01B versus $317.04B.
Per person, Finland is the wealthier of the two: $56,149 against $8,057 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Thailand | Finland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $577.01B | $317.04B | 2025 | $526.41B / $299.84B |
| GDP per capita | $8,057 | Higher: $56,149 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 2.4% | 0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: -0.1% | 0.3% | 2025 | 1.4% / 1.6% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 0.8% | 9.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 31 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $508 | Higher: $5,760 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $254 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $4.02 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 71.62 million | 5.65 million | 2025 | 70.03 million / 5.55 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.6 yrs | 43.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.19 | 1.30 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 76.6 yrs | Higher: 82.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 63% | 75% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 91% | Higher: 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 513,120 km² | 338,424 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 139.6/km² | 16.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 268 Mt | Lower: 30 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 3.7 t | 5.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.52B | $6.99B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.1% | 2.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 455,000 | 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
Thailand is growing faster: 2.4% annual GDP growth versus 0.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: -0.1% in Thailand and 0.3% in Finland.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Thailand: a price level of 31 versus 85 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Finland: $5,760 against $508 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Thailand is the younger society: median age 40.6 versus 43.2 years.
Life expectancy is 5.8 years longer in Finland (82.3 vs 76.6).
Finland is considerably more urbanized: 75% of people live in cities, against 63%.
Geography
By land area, Thailand is 52% larger than Finland: 513,120 km² versus 338,424 km².
Thailand is far more densely settled: 140 people per km² against 17.
Military
Finland spends 27% more on defence than Thailand: $6.99B versus $5.52B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Finland carries the heavier military burden: 2.3% of GDP versus 1.1%.
Thailand fields the larger armed forces: 455,000 personnel against 22,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Thailand bigger than Finland?
- Thailand is larger by land area. Thailand covers 513,120 km² while Finland covers 338,424 km², so Thailand is 52% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Thailand or Finland?
- Thailand has the larger population: 71.62 million versus 5.65 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Thailand richer than Finland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Finland is richer: $56,149 against $8,057. Total GDP tells a different story: $577.01B for Thailand versus $317.04B for Finland.
- Who spends more on their military, Thailand or Finland?
- Finland spends more: $6.99B versus $5.52B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).