Updated
Overview
Thailand has 3.1 times the population of Taiwan: 71.62 million people against 23.30 million (2025).
Taiwan's economy is about 60% larger than Thailand's, at $920.05B versus $577.01B.
Per person, Taiwan is the wealthier of the two: $39,489 against $8,057 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Thailand | Taiwan | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $577.01B | Higher: $920.05B | 2025 | $526.41B / $611.39B |
| GDP per capita | $8,057 | Higher: $39,489 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.4% | Higher: 8.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: -0.1% | 1.7% | 2025 | 1.4% / 2.2% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 0.8% | 3.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 31 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $508 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $254 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $4.02 | $2.42 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 71.62 million | 23.30 million | 2025 | 70.03 million / 23.60 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.6 yrs | 44.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.19 | 0.86 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 76.6 yrs | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 63% | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 91% | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 513,120 km² | 36,193 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 139.6/km² | 643.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 268 Mt | Lower: 262 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 3.7 t | 11.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.52B | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.1% | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 455,000 | — | 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
Taiwan is growing much faster: 8.7% annual GDP growth versus 2.4%.
Inflation is comparable in both: -0.1% in Thailand and 1.7% in Taiwan.
People and society
Thailand is the younger society: median age 40.6 versus 44.8 years.
Geography
By land area, Thailand is 14 times the size of Taiwan: 513,120 km² versus 36,193 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Taiwan is far more densely settled: 644 people per km² against 140.
Frequently asked
- Is Thailand bigger than Taiwan?
- Thailand is larger by land area. Thailand covers 513,120 km² while Taiwan covers 36,193 km², so Thailand is 14 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Thailand or Taiwan?
- Thailand has the larger population: 71.62 million versus 23.30 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Thailand richer than Taiwan?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Taiwan is richer: $39,489 against $8,057. Total GDP tells the same story: $577.01B for Thailand versus $920.05B for Taiwan.