Updated
Overview
Vietnam has 22% more people than Germany: 101.60 million against 83.49 million (2025).
Germany's economy is 9.8 times the size of Vietnam's, at $5.05T versus $514.70B.
Per person, Germany is the wealthier of the two: $60,496 against $5,066 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Vietnam | Germany | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $514.70B | Higher: $5.05T | 2025 | $476.39B / $4.66T |
| GDP per capita | $5,066 | Higher: $60,496 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 8.0% | 0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.3% | Lower: 2.2% | 2025 | 3.6% / 2.3% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 1.5% | 3.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 29 | 80 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $355 | Higher: $4,647 | 2024 / 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $205 | Higher: $2,442 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $2.89 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 101.60 million | 83.49 million | 2025 | 106.69 million / 84.01 million |
| Population growth | 0.6% | 0.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 33.4 yrs | 45.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.88 | 1.46 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 74.7 yrs | Higher: 80.8 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 39% | 82% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 84% | Higher: 93% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 331,212 km² | 357,114 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 306.7/km² | 233.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 371 Mt | 572 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 3.7 t | 6.8 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.50B | $88.46B | 2018 / 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2018 / 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 522,000 | 183,000 | 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
Vietnam is growing much faster: 8.0% annual GDP growth versus 0.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.3% in Vietnam and 2.2% in Germany.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Vietnam: a price level of 29 versus 80 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Germany: $4,647 against $355 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Vietnam is the far younger society: median age 33.4 versus 45.5 years.
Life expectancy is 6.1 years longer in Germany (80.8 vs 74.7).
Germany is considerably more urbanized: 82% of people live in cities, against 39%.
Geography
By land area, Vietnam is almost exactly the same size as Germany: 331,212 km² versus 357,114 km².
Military
Germany spends 16 times as much on defence as Vietnam: $88.46B versus $5.50B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Vietnam fields the larger armed forces: 522,000 personnel against 183,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Vietnam bigger than Germany?
- The two are almost exactly the same size. Vietnam covers 331,212 km² while Germany covers 357,114 km², a difference of under 8%.
- Which has more people, Vietnam or Germany?
- Vietnam has the larger population: 101.60 million versus 83.49 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Vietnam richer than Germany?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Germany is richer: $60,496 against $5,066. Total GDP tells the same story: $514.70B for Vietnam versus $5.05T for Germany.
- Who spends more on their military, Vietnam or Germany?
- Germany spends more: $88.46B versus $5.50B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).