Germany vs France
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
Germany and France are the two largest economies in the European Union and the political core of European integration. Germany's economy is about 30% larger, driven by industrial exports, while France has a more balanced economy with stronger services and agricultural sectors. France maintains a larger military and nuclear deterrent, while Germany has traditionally relied on NATO. Both countries face similar demographic challenges — aging populations and low fertility rates — but differ in labor market flexibility, with France historically having higher unemployment and stronger worker protections.
Germany has a GDP of $5.33T compared to France's $3.56T, making it 1.5x larger. Germany's population is 83.5M vs France's 68.6M. Across 12 key indicators, Germany leads in 6 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Germany |  France |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $5.33T✓ | $3.56T |
| GDP per Capita | $63,600✓ | $51,708 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 0.9% | 0.9% |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $75,480✓ | $67,671 |
| Population | 83.5M✓ | 68.6M |
| Life Expectancy | 80.5 years | 82.9 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 1.8% | 1.5%✓ |
| Unemployment (%) | 3.4%✓ | 7.5% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 66.0%✓ | 119.6% |
| Fertility Rate | 1.4 | 1.7✓ |
| Gini Index | 32.4 | 31.8✓ |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 6.9 | 4✓ |
Summary
Germany has a GDP of $5.33T compared to France's $3.56T, making the former economy 1.5x larger. In terms of population, Germany has 83.5M people while France has 68.6M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Germany leads in 6 and France leads in 5.