The following is a comparison between France and Spain, two neighboring countries in Europe. Let’s read.
France and Spain – country comparison
GDP
• France has a larger GDP and a higher GDP per capita than Spain.
| 2025 (IMF) | France | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Currency | Euro | Euro |
| GDP (nominal, USD) | $3.37 trillion | $1.9 trillion |
| GDP per capita (nominal, USD) | $48.93 thousand | $38.29 thousand |
| GDP (PPP, international $) | $4.56 trillion | $2.84 trillion |
| GDP per capita (PPP, international $) | $66.28 thousand | $57.03 thousand |
Population
| 2025 estimate | France | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 66.7 million | 47.9 million |
| Population aged 0-14 | 16% | 12.9% |
| Population aged 15-64 | 61% | 65.3% |
| Population aged 65 and older | 23% | 21.8% |
| Total fertility rate, per woman | 1.6 | 1.2 |
Life
| France | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (2023/UN) | 83.33 | 83.67 |
| Human Development Index rank (2023) | 26th | 28th |
| Human Development Index value | 0.920 | 0.918 |
Overview
• France has a larger area compared to Spain. Metropolitan France is approximately 1.09 times larger than Spain.
• France has a larger population and a higher population density than Spain.
| France | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| Area | approximately 551,500 sq km (Metropolitan France) | approximately 505,990 sq km |
| Population | 66.7 million (2025 estimate) (Metropolitan France) | 47.9 million (2025 estimate) |
| Capital city | Paris | Madrid |
| Largest city | Paris | Madrid |
| Largest metropolitan area | Paris Metropolitan area | Madrid Metropolitan area |
| Most popular sport | Football (Soccer) | Football (Soccer) |
| Most spoken language | French | Spanish |
| Type of government | Unitary semi-presidential republic | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Forest cover (2023) | 32.5% | 37.2% |
| Highest mountain | Mont Blanc (4,806 m) | Mount Teide (3,715 m) |
| Largest island | Corsica (Metropolitan France) (8,720 sq km); Grande Terre of New Caledonia (Overseas France) (16,370 sq km) | Mallorca (3,640 sq km) |
| International tourist arrivals | 102 million (2024) | 93.8 million (2024) |
| World tourism ranking | 1st | 2nd |
| Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites | 54 | 50 |
| Busiest airport | Charles de Gaulle Airport (serves Paris Metropolitan area) | Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (serves Madrid Metropolitan area) |
| Most visited city | Paris | Barcelona |
France or Spain, which is the most visited country in the world?
France has been the most visited country in the world for years. Spain is not far behind in terms of tourism numbers.
Languages
France – French is by far the most spoken language in France. Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and German are some minority languages in France.
Spain – Spanish is the primary language of nearly 80 percent of the population in Spain. Catalan is the second most spoken, and Valencian is the third most spoken language in Spain.
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