Kenya vs Ethiopia
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
Kenya and Ethiopia are East Africa's two largest economies with combined populations exceeding 170 million. Ethiopia's economy has been one of Africa's fastest-growing, averaging over 9% GDP growth annually from 2010-2019, driven by large-scale infrastructure investment and manufacturing zones. However, a devastating civil war (2020-2022) severely disrupted Ethiopia's economic trajectory. Kenya has grown more steadily at 5-6% annually, with a more diversified economy spanning agriculture (tea, flowers), tourism, financial services, and technology (Nairobi is "Silicon Savannah"). Kenya's GDP per capita is roughly twice Ethiopia's.
Kenya has a GDP of $140.87B compared to Ethiopia's $125.74B, making it 1.1x larger. Kenya's population is 56.4M vs Ethiopia's 132.1M. Across 12 key indicators, Ethiopia leads in 7 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Kenya |  Ethiopia |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $140.87B✓ | $125.74B |
| GDP per Capita | $2,596✓ | $1,124 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 4.9% | 7.1%✓ |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $7,929✓ | $4,743 |
| Population | 56.4M | 132.1M✓ |
| Life Expectancy | 63.6 years | 67.3 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 5.2%✓ | 9.4% |
| Unemployment (%) | N/A | N/A |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 70.1% | 41.1%✓ |
| Fertility Rate | 3.2 | 4✓ |
| Gini Index | 37.7 | 31.1✓ |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 0.4 | 0.1✓ |
Summary
Kenya has a GDP of $140.87B compared to Ethiopia's $125.74B, making the former economy 1.1x larger. In terms of population, Kenya has 56.4M people while Ethiopia has 132.1M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Kenya leads in 4 and Ethiopia leads in 7.