Canada vs Australia
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
Canada and Australia are remarkably similar: both are large, resource-rich, English-speaking Commonwealth nations with small populations relative to their landmass (38M and 26M respectively). Both rely heavily on commodity exports — Canada on oil, natural gas, and timber; Australia on iron ore, coal, and LNG. Both have used immigration to drive population growth and offset aging. Australia has the edge in recent economic performance, having avoided recession for 28 consecutive years before COVID. Canada's economy is more closely tied to the US (its largest trading partner by far), while Australia's trade is increasingly oriented toward Asia, especially China.
Canada has a GDP of $2.51T compared to Australia's $2.12T, making it 1.2x larger. Canada's population is 41.7M vs Australia's 27.6M. Across 12 key indicators, Australia leads in 7 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Canada |  Australia |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $2.51T✓ | $2.12T |
| GDP per Capita | $60,305 | $75,648✓ |
| GDP Growth (%) | 1.5% | 2.0%✓ |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $70,006 | $74,755✓ |
| Population | 41.7M✓ | 27.6M |
| Life Expectancy | 82.1 years | 83.1 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 2.5%✓ | 4.0% |
| Unemployment (%) | 6.5% | 4.2%✓ |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 110.7% | 50.6%✓ |
| Fertility Rate | 1.3 | 1.5✓ |
| Gini Index | 31.5✓ | 33.8 |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 14✓ | 14.1 |
Summary
Canada has a GDP of $2.51T compared to Australia's $2.12T, making the former economy 1.2x larger. In terms of population, Canada has 41.7M people while Australia has 27.6M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Canada leads in 5 and Australia leads in 7.
Why sources report different numbers
The IMF, World Bank and United Nations each publish these series on their own release schedule. Where their figures differ, the reason is usually visible in the reference year rather than in the methodology.
| Source | Canada | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $2.51T2026 | $2.12T2026 |
| World Bank | $2.32T2025 | $1.80T2025 |
| United Nations | $2.27T2024 | $1.83T2024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Canada spans about 10% across 2 years; Australia spans about 18% across 1 year.
| Source | Canada | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $60,3052026 | $75,6482026 |
| World Bank | $55,6982025 | $65,1302025 |
| United Nations | $57,1202024 | $68,5282024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Canada spans about 8% across 1 year; Australia spans about 16% across 1 year.
Figures are reproduced as published by each source, converted to a common unit, with each publisher's own reference year shown. Differences are described, not adjudicated — no source is presented as more correct than another.
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