France vs Norway
Every indicator for France and Norway side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | France | Norway | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 68,720,337 | 5,610,870 | +1,124.8% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 3,366 | 531 | +533.9% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 48,986 | 94,594 | −48.2% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.0 | 83.2 | — |
| Area (km²) | 606,410 | 624,500 | −2.9% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 113 | 9 | +1,161.3% |
| Median age (years) | 42.3 | 40.2 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 88.7 | 99.0 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 7.5 | 4.6 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 0.9 | 3.1 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 78.8 | 83.6 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 64,675 | 10,435 | +519.8% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.05 | 2.09 | −1.9% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 3.59 | 4.53 | −20.8% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 941 | 1,860 | −49.4% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 304,000 | 25,000 | +1,116.0% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 4.4 | 4.5 | −0.7% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 1.00 | 0.85 | +17.6% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of France relative to Norway; a positive value favors France. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
At a glance
Neither side dominates: France is higher on 6 of 12 indicators, Norway on 6. The widest separation is in population density (about 13×); they are closest on armed forces per 1,000 people.
Key differences
- Population density shows the widest gap of all: France stands at 113 against Norway's 9 — roughly 13 times as much.
- Population (2025) shows the widest gap of all: France stands at 68,720,337 against Norway's 5,610,870 — roughly 12 times as much.
- Armed forces personnel (2020) shows the widest gap of all: France stands at 304,000 against Norway's 25,000 — roughly 12 times as much.
- France's gdp (nominal) (3,366) is about 6.3 times Norway's (531).
- France's military expenditure (2024) (64,675) is about 6.2 times Norway's (10,435).
Frequently asked questions
Where do France and Norway differ most?
In population density. France records 113 against Norway's 9 — a ratio of roughly 13 to one.
Where are France and Norway most alike?
In armed forces per 1,000 people, at 4.5 and 4.4 — a gap of only %0.7.
On how many indicators is France ahead of Norway?
France is higher on 6 of the 12 ratio-scale indicators and Norway on 6. A higher number is not automatically better, though — population density, for instance, is a characteristic rather than an advantage.
FranceNorway
The indicators use different scales, so the chart is a rough visual comparison only; use the table for exact figures.
Related comparisons
Other comparisons involving France or Norway.
France profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Norway profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI