France vs Spain: Compare Statistics
Side-by-side comparison of 112 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.
Summary
Comparing France and Spain: France leads on Share of population in poverty ($3 a day) (0.07) against Spain (0.81); Spain leads on Dam capacity per capita (1,106 cubic meters per inhabitant) against France (148.88 cubic meters per inhabitant); France leads on Electricity from Nuclear Fuels (50) against Spain (7). Across 112 compared metrics, France wins on 63 and Spain wins on 38.
- Communications: 6 metrics compared
- Economy: 45 metrics compared
- Environment: 5 metrics compared
- Geography: 6 metrics compared
- Government: 4 metrics compared
- Health: 10 metrics compared
- Military and Security: 1 metric compared
- People and Society: 30 metrics compared
- Transportation: 5 metrics compared
Communications
6 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇪🇸 Spain | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population) | 88.65 % | 95.76 %★ | |
| Internet Users | percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) | percent of population: 95% (2023 est.) | |
| Press Freedom Index Score | 76.62 points | 77.35 points★ | |
| Radios | 55.3★ | 13.1 | |
| Televisions | 34.8★ | 16.2 | |
| Waterways | metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km navigable by craft up to 3,000 metric tons) (2010) | 1,000 |
Economy
45 metricsEnvironment
5 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇪🇸 Spain | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs) | -6.11M★ | 4.88M | |
| Carbon Dioxide Emissions | 303.78 | 254.82★ | |
| Population Distribution | much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second | with the notable exception of Madrid, Sevilla, and Zaragoza, the largest urban agglomerations are found along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts; numerous smaller cities are spread throughout the interior; very dense settlement around the capital of Ma | |
| Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country | 120 Cubic meters per year★ | 29.9 Cubic meters per year | |
| Total Renewable Water Resources | 211★ | 111.5 |
Geography
6 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇪🇸 Spain | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization | 4.22 %★ | 2.86 % | |
| Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha) | 135.5★ | 55.87 | |
| Agricultural land | 281,003.2 sq. km★ | 268,740.2 sq. km | |
| Coastline Length (km) | 4,853 km | 4,964 km★ | |
| Dam capacity per capita | 148.88 cubic meters per inhabitant | 1,106.31 cubic meters per inhabitant★ | |
| Irrigated Land | 14,236 | 38,012★ |
Government
4 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇪🇸 Spain | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule of Law Index by Country | 82.08 %★ | 76.3 % | |
| Administrative Divisions | 18★ | 17 | |
| Independence | no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French | 149 | |
| Suffrage Participation Rate | 18 | 18 |
Health
10 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇪🇸 Spain | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std) | 10.94★ | 11.01 | |
| Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population) | 6.5 | 9.7★ | |
| Health Expenditure (% of GDP) | 12.3 % of GDP★ | 10.7 % of GDP | |
| HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate | 0.3 % | 0.3 % | |
| Hospital Bed Density | 6 people/sq km★ | 2.9 people/sq km | |
| Maternal Mortality Ratio (%) | 7 % | 3 %★ | |
| Mean Age at First Birth | 28.9 | 31.2★ | |
| Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%) | 21.6 %★ | 23.8 % | |
| People Living With HIV/AIDS | 190,000 | 150,000★ | |
| Underweight Children Under 5 | NA | NA |
Military and Security
1 metric| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇪🇸 Spain | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP) | 304,000★ | 199,000 |
People and Society
30 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇪🇸 Spain | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currently married (Percent) | 52.51 %★ | 45.17 % | |
| Human Capital Index | 0.76★ | 0.75 | |
| Life expectancy at birth | 86.69 years | 86.94 years★ | |
| Median age of population | 42.51 years | 46.35 years★ | |
| Population Change | 62,507.4 persons★ | -54,840.6 persons | |
| Population density | 121.19 per sq. km | 95.5 per sq. km★ | |
| Total population | 66.75M persons★ | 47.87M persons | |
| Academic Freedom Index | 0.8 | 0.87★ | |
| Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & Rankings | A-B | A-B | |
| Birth Rate (%) | 10.88 %★ | 7.16 % | |
| Contraceptive Prevalence Rate | NA | 62.1 % | |
| Death Rate (%) | 9.91 %★ | 9.98 % | |
| Education Expenditure (% of GDP) | 5.3 % of GDP★ | 4.6 % of GDP | |
| Female population of reproductive age | 13.97M persons★ | 9.98M persons | |
| Labor Force Participation Rate | 31.73★ | 24.39 | |
| Learning-adjusted years of school | 11.25 years★ | 10.9 years | |
| Length of paid parental leave for mother | 180 days★ | 0 days | |
| Major Urban Areas Population | 11.21 people★ | 6.75 people | |
| Mean Male Height (cm) | 179.74★ | 176.59 | |
| Military Manpower at Military Age | 18 | 20★ | |
| Military Service Age and Obligation | generally 17-30 years of age for both men and women with some variations by service, position, and enlisted versus officer; 17-40 for National Gendarmerie; basic service contract is for 12 months; no conscription (abolished 2001) (2025) note 1: a 10-month | 18 | |
| Percentage of population by degree of urbanization | 62.53 % | 79.42 %★ | |
| Physician Density | 3.28 people/sq km | 4.29 people/sq km★ | |
| Population Growth Rate | 0.2 %★ | 0.12 % | |
| Population living in slums | 0 % | 0.04 %★ | |
| Total deaths | 607,731.9 persons | 451,958.2 persons★ | |
| Total demand for family planning (Percent) | 70.02 %★ | 68.96 % | |
| Total fertility rate | 1.56 per woman★ | 1.24 per woman | |
| Total net-migration | 66,501.8 persons | 69,228.9 persons★ | |
| Under-five mortality rate | 3.49 per live births | 2.59 per live births★ |
Transportation
5 metrics| Metric | 🇫🇷 France | 🇪🇸 Spain | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP) | 1.35 | 3.11★ | |
| Airports | 1,218★ | 365 | |
| Annual Human Space Visits (Total) | 1★ | 0 | |
| Civil Air Travel | 195 | 210★ | |
| Heliports | 405★ | 162 |