France and Spain are two neighboring countries in Europe. The following is a comparison between these two countries. Let’s read.
France and Spain – country comparison
| France | Spain | |
| Area | approximately 551,500 square kilometers (European France) | approximately 505,990 square kilometers |
| Population | 66 million (2023 estimate) | 47.3 million (2023 estimate) |
| Region | Western Europe | Southern Europe |
| Currency | Euro | Euro |
| Capital City | Paris | Madrid |
| Largest City | Paris | Madrid |
| Forest area | 31.5% (2020) | 37.2 (2020) |
| Most popular sport | Football | Football |
| Most spoken language | French | Spanish |
| Highest Mountain | Mont Blanc (4,805.59 m) | Mount Teide (3,715 meters) |
| Largest Island | Grande Terre (16,372 sq km) | Mallorca (3,640 sq km) |
| Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites | 52 | 50 |
| Busiest Airport | Charles de Gaulle Airport (serves Paris Metropolitan area) | Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (serves Madrid Metropolitan area) |
| Largest Metropolitan area | Paris Metropolitan area | Madrid Metropolitan area |
| World Tourism ranking | 1 | 2 |
| Most visited city | Paris | Barcelona |
| Type of government | Unitary semi-presidential republic | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Life expectancy at birth (2021/UN) | 82.5 | 83 |
Which country has a larger area, France or Spain?
France has a larger area as compared with Spain.
- Area of France – approximately 551,500 square kilometers (European France)
- Area of Spain – approximately 505,990 square kilometers
Which country is more populous, France or Spain?
- Population of France – 66 million (2023 estimate)
- Population of Spain – 47.3 million (2023 estimate)
Top 3 largest cities
France
- Paris
- Marseille
- Lyon
Spain
- Madrid
- Barcelona
- Valencia
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 population in Spain. Catalan is the second most spoken and Valencian is the third most spoken language in Spain.
Flag of France
Flag of Spain
Read more