France vs Spain
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
France and Spain are major EU economies with strong trade links. France's GDP is roughly 70% larger than Spain's, reflecting higher productivity and a more diversified industrial base. Spain's economy is more tourism-dependent (tourism accounts for ~12% of GDP, twice France's share), which made it more vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spain suffered a deeper housing crisis in 2008-2012 and has higher structural unemployment, particularly among youth (30%+). Both countries have large agricultural sectors and compete in wine, olive oil, and food exports.
France has a GDP of $3.56T compared to Spain's $2.04T, making it 1.7x larger. France's population is 68.6M vs Spain's 48.8M. Across 12 key indicators, France leads in 9 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  France |  Spain |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $3.56T✓ | $2.04T |
| GDP per Capita | $51,708✓ | $40,582 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 0.9% | 2.0%✓ |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $67,671✓ | $58,348 |
| Population | 68.6M✓ | 48.8M |
| Life Expectancy | 82.9 years | 83.9 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 1.5%✓ | 2.0% |
| Unemployment (%) | 7.5%✓ | 10.7% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 119.6% | 98.7%✓ |
| Fertility Rate | 1.7✓ | 1.1 |
| Gini Index | 31.8✓ | 33.4 |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 4✓ | 4.5 |
Summary
France has a GDP of $3.56T compared to Spain's $2.04T, making the former economy 1.7x larger. In terms of population, France has 68.6M people while Spain has 48.8M. Across the 12 indicators compared, France leads in 9 and Spain leads in 3.