The following is a comparison between India, a large country in Southern Asia, and the United Kingdom (UK), an island country in Europe. Let’s read.
India and UK – country comparison
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GDP
| 2025 (IMF) | India | United Kingdom (UK) |
|---|
| Currency | Indian Rupee | Pound sterling |
| GDP (nominal, USD) | $3.92 trillion | $4 trillion |
| GDP per capita (nominal, USD) | $2.68 thousand | $57.61 thousand |
| GDP (PPP, international $) | $17.26 trillion | $4.55 trillion |
| GDP per capita (PPP, international $) | $11.79 thousand | $65.52 thousand |
Population
| 2025 estimate | India | United Kingdom (UK) |
|---|
| Population | 1.46 billion | 69.6 million |
| Population aged 0-14 | 24.2% | 17% |
| Population aged 15-64 | 68.7% | 63% |
| Population aged 65 and older | 7% | 20% |
| Total fertility rate, per woman | 1.9 | 1.5 |
Life
| India | United Kingdom (UK) |
|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (2023/UN) | 72 | 81.3 |
| Human Development Index rank (2023) | 130th | 13th |
| Human Development Index value | 0.685 | 0.946 |
Overview
• India is one of the largest countries in the world. It is more than 13 times larger than the UK.
• India is the most populous country in the world. Both India and the UK are densely populated countries.
| India | United Kingdom (UK) |
|---|
| Area | approximately 3.3 million sq km | approximately 243,600 sq km |
| Population | 1.46 billion (2025 estimate) | 69.6 million (2025 estimate) |
| Capital city | New Delhi | London |
| Largest city | Delhi | London |
| Largest metropolitan area | National Capital Region (NCR) | Greater London |
| Most spoken language | Hindi | English |
| Major languages | Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Punjabi, Gujarati, etc. | English, Scots, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, Irish, etc. |
| Most popular sport | Cricket | Football (Soccer) |
(Also read: India and USA – country comparison | India vs USA)
Geography
| India | United Kingdom (UK) |
|---|
| Continent | Asia | Europe |
| Forest cover (2023) | 24.5% | 13.3% |
| Total number of time zones | 1 | 9 |
| Highest mountain | K2 (8,611 m/28,251 ft) (claimed); Kanchenjunga (8,586 m/28,169 ft) (otherwise) | Ben Nevis (1,345 m/4,413 ft) |
| Largest island | North Andaman | Great Britain |
| Largest lake | Vembanad Lake | Lough Neagh |
| Major rivers | Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputram, Indus, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, etc. | Thames, Trent, Severn, Great Ouse, Wye, Tay, etc. |
Tourism
| India | United Kingdom (UK) |
|---|
| International tourist arrivals | 20.6 million (2024) | 41.8 million (2024) |
| Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites | 44 | 35 |
| Popular places to visit | Himalayas, Taj Mahal, Ajanta and Ellora caves, Mahabalipuram, Western Ghats, Jaipur, Varanasi, Sarnath, Amritsar, etc. | London, Stonehenge, Bath, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Giant’s Causeway, Scottish Highlands, etc. |
| Busiest airport | Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi | Heathrow Airport, London |
