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 $147.26B compared to Ethiopia's $121.53B, making it 1.2x larger. Kenya's population is 57.5M vs Ethiopia's 135.5M. 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) | $147.26B✓ | $121.53B |
| GDP per Capita | $2,714✓ | $1,081 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 4.5% | 9.2%✓ |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $8,020✓ | $4,974 |
| Population | 57.5M | 135.5M✓ |
| Life Expectancy | 63.8 years | 67.6 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 5.9%✓ | 11.8% |
| Unemployment (%) | N/A | N/A |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 71.6% | 40.4%✓ |
| Fertility Rate | 3.2 | 3.9✓ |
| Gini Index | 38.5 | 31.1✓ |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 0.4 | 0.1✓ |
Summary
Kenya has a GDP of $147.26B compared to Ethiopia's $121.53B, making the former economy 1.2x larger. In terms of population, Kenya has 57.5M people while Ethiopia has 135.5M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Kenya leads in 4 and Ethiopia 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 | Kenya | Ethiopia |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $147.26B2026 | $121.53B2026 |
| World Bank | $135.94B2025 | $126.36B2025 |
| United Nations | $120.34B2024 | $142.28B2024 |
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. Kenya spans about 22% across 2 years; Ethiopia spans about 17% across 2 years.
| Source | Kenya | Ethiopia |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $2,7142026 | $1,0812026 |
| World Bank | $2,3632025 | $9332025 |
| United Nations | $2,1322024 | $1,0772024 |
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. Kenya spans about 27% across 2 years; Ethiopia 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.