United Kingdom vs France
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
The United Kingdom and France are Europe's second and third largest economies with remarkably similar GDP levels — they frequently trade places in the rankings depending on exchange rate movements. France has higher productivity per hour worked, while the UK has lower unemployment and a more flexible labor market. Post-Brexit, the UK's growth trajectory has diverged from France's, with higher inflation and greater trade friction with the EU. Both maintain nuclear arsenals and permanent UN Security Council seats.
United Kingdom has a GDP of $4.23T compared to France's $3.56T, making it 1.2x larger. United Kingdom's population is 69.2M vs France's 68.6M. Across 12 key indicators, both countries are evenly matched in categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  United Kingdom |  France |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $4.23T✓ | $3.56T |
| GDP per Capita | $60,011✓ | $51,708 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 1.3%✓ | 0.9% |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $65,215 | $67,671✓ |
| Population | 69.2M✓ | 68.6M |
| Life Expectancy | 81.2 years | 82.9 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 2.5% | 1.5%✓ |
| Unemployment (%) | 4.7%✓ | 7.5% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 104.8%✓ | 119.6% |
| Fertility Rate | 1.6 | 1.7✓ |
| Gini Index | 32.4 | 31.8✓ |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 4.2 | 4✓ |
Summary
United Kingdom has a GDP of $4.23T compared to France's $3.56T, making the former economy 1.2x larger. In terms of population, United Kingdom has 69.2M people while France has 68.6M. Across the 12 indicators compared, United Kingdom leads in 6 and France leads in 6.
United KingdomFrance