Spain vs Turkey
Every indicator for Spain and Turkey side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | Spain | Turkey | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 49,355,143 | 85,878,556 | −42.5% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 1,906 | 1,597 | +19.3% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 38,627 | 18,599 | +107.7% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.9 | 77.4 | — |
| Area (km²) | 505,976 | 785,350 | −35.6% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 98 | 109 | −10.8% |
| Median age (years) | 46.1 | 34.4 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 95.8 | 89.8 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 10.4 | 8.5 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.7 | 34.9 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 80.5 | 89.5 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 24,615 | 24,979 | −1.5% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 1.43 | 1.92 | −25.5% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 3.20 | — | — |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 499 | 291 | +71.5% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 199,000 | 512,000 | −61.1% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 4.0 | 6.0 | −32.4% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 0.87 | 1.61 | −46.0% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of Spain relative to Turkey; a positive value favors Spain. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
At a glance
Turkey is higher on 8 of the 11 indicators, while Spain leads on the remaining 3. The widest separation is in armed forces personnel (2020), about 2.6 times; they are closest on military expenditure (2024).
Key differences
- Turkey's armed forces personnel (2020) (512,000) is about 2.6 times Spain's (199,000).
- Spain's gdp per capita (38,627) is about 2.1 times Turkey's (18,599).
- On armed forces as a share of the labor force, Turkey is %85 higher than Spain: 1.61 against 0.87.
- On population (2025), Turkey is %74 higher than Spain: 85,878,556 against 49,355,143.
- On military expenditure per capita, Spain is %71 higher than Turkey: 499 against 291.
Frequently asked questions
Where do Spain and Turkey differ most?
In armed forces personnel (2020). Turkey records 512,000 against Spain's 199,000 — a ratio of roughly 2.6 to one.
Where are Spain and Turkey most alike?
In military expenditure (2024), at 24,979 and 24,615 — a gap of only %1.5.
On how many indicators is Spain ahead of Turkey?
Spain is higher on 3 of the 11 ratio-scale indicators and Turkey on 8. A higher number is not automatically better, though — population density, for instance, is a characteristic rather than an advantage.
SpainTurkey
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 Spain or Turkey.
Spain profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Turkey profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI