Land Area
France
551,695 km²
Largest
Germany
357,022 km²
64.7% of largest
France is 1.55× larger than Germany
Population
Germany
LARGEST
83.2M
PEOPLE
France
81.9% OF LARGEST
68.1M
PEOPLE
Germany has 1.22× the population of France
GDP
Germany
LARGEST
$4.26T
France
69.0% OF LARGEST
$2.94T
Armed Forces
Active Personnel
France
LARGEST
203.85K
TROOPS
Germany
90.0% OF LARGEST
183.5K
TROOPS
France has 1.11× the active personnel of Germany
Air Force
France
LARGEST
1.06K
AIRCRAFT
Germany
58.5% OF LARGEST
617
AIRCRAFT
France has 1.71× the aircraft of Germany
Naval Assets
France
Germany
Wealth
Gold Reserves
Germany
LARGEST
3,351.6
Metric Tonnes
France
72.7% OF LARGEST
2,437.0
Metric Tonnes
Foreign-Exchange Reserves
Germany
LARGEST
$97B
Reserves · excl. gold
France
80.4% OF LARGEST
$78B
Reserves · excl. gold
Billionaires
Germany
MOST
132
billionaires
France
33% OF MOST
43
billionaires
Oil
Proven Reserves
France
LARGEST
0.1
Billion barrels
Germany
LARGEST
0.1
Billion barrels
Production & Consumption
France
NET IMPORTER
Production
0.0M b/d
Consumption
1.6M b/d
−1.6M b/d net
Germany
NET IMPORTER
Production
0.1M b/d
Consumption
2.3M b/d
−2.3M b/d net
Trade (Import/Export)
France
$1,071.1B
Exports
$1,071.1B
Imports
$1,081.5B
Trade Balance
$-10.4B
Trade Deficit
Germany
$1,941.4B
Exports
$1,941.4B
Imports
$1,764.4B
Trade Balance
+$177.0B
Trade Surplus
Drinks per Person
Coffee
kg / person / yr
Germany
consumption
France
consumption
Tea
kg / person / yr
Germany
consumption
France
consumption
Beer
litres / person / yr
Germany
consumption
France
consumption
Wine
litres / person / yr
France
consumption
Germany
consumption
Alcohol
litres pure alcohol / person / yr
France
consumption
Germany
consumption
Smoking
% of adults 15+ who smoke
France
Germany
Per-capita — consumption where available, else FAOSTAT supply · alcohol = litres of pure alcohol; smoking = % of adults 15+ (WHO)
Olympic Medals
Germany
335
Gold
331
Silver
331
Bronze
997
Total Medals
☀ Summer: 704
❄ Winter: 293
France
295
Gold
331
Silver
365
Bronze
991
Total Medals
☀ Summer: 830
❄ Winter: 161
Religious Demographics
Religious Distribution
Religious Composition by Country
France
Germany
Age Demographics
Median Age
Germany
47.8
YEARS
10
30
50
70
France
41.7
YEARS
10
30
50
70
Age Distribution
Population breakdown by age bracket (percentage)
Demographic Insights
Age Gap
Germany is 6.1 years older (median) than France
Youth Population
France has the highest youth population at 35.0% (under 30)
Elderly Population
Germany has the highest elderly population at 31% (60+)
Global Statistics
| Metric |
France
|
Germany
|
|---|---|---|
| Travel & Mobility | ||
| Passport Power visa-free destinations |
188
|
189
|
| Tourist Arrivals per year |
79.4M
|
39.6M
|
| Culture & Prestige | ||
| Nobel Laureates all-time |
75
|
115
|
| 3-Michelin-Star Restaurants current guide |
31
|
10
|
Figures as of 2026. Sources: IMF, EIA/OPEC, Henley Passport Index, UNWTO, Forbes, Michelin Guide, Nobel Foundation.
Cost of Living
|
Metric
All indices use New York City as base (100)
Lower values indicate lower costs.
|
France
|
Germany
|
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index |
|
|
| Rent Index |
|
|
| Groceries Index |
|
|
| Restaurant Price Index |
|
|
| Local Purchasing Power |
|
|
| Common Expenses Comparison | ||
| Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant (USD) | $15 | $12 |
| Three-Course Meal for 2 (USD) | $60 | $55 |
| Monthly Rent - City Center (USD) | $1,000 | $1,100 |
| Monthly Rent - Outside Center (USD) | $750 | $800 |
| Monthly Utilities (USD) | $165 | $180 |
| Internet (60 Mbps, USD) | $30 | $35 |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (USD) | $70 | $75 |
Historical Data
Basic Information
| Metric | France | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 68100000 | 83200000 |
| Area (sq km) | 551695 | 357022 |
| Capital | Paris | Berlin |
| Official Language | French | German |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) | Euro (EUR) |
| Government Type | Unitary semi-presidential republic | Federal parliamentary republic |
Military Strength
| Metric | France | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Active Personnel | 203,850 | 183,500 |
| Reserve Personnel | 35,000 | 30,000 |
| Total Military Personnel | 240,000 | 214,000 |
| Defense Budget (USD) | $55,000,000,000 | $56,000,000,000 |
| Tanks | 406 | 266 |
| Armored Vehicles | 6,300 | 5,318 |
| Self-Propelled Artillery | 109 | 121 |
| Towed Artillery | 12 | 0 |
| Rocket Projectors | 13 | 38 |
Economy
| Metric | France | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $2,936,700,000,000 | $4,256,500,000,000 |
| GDP Per Capita (USD) | $43,120 | $51,160 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 7.4% | 3.0% |
| GINI Index (Income Inequality) | 32.4 | 31.9 |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) | Euro (EUR) |
| Direct Currency Comparison (1 unit of row currency equals X units of column currency) | ||
| France Currency | 1.00 (Same) | 1.0000 Weaker |
| Germany Currency | 1.0000 Weaker | 1.00 (Same) |
| USD Base Exchange Rates (All calculations use USD as the base currency) | ||
| Currency | EUR | EUR |
| 1 USD equals | 0.8802 EUR Updated: 2026-06-27 | 0.8802 EUR Updated: 2026-06-27 |
Interesting Comparisons & Trivia
Did You Know?
France is 1.5 times larger in area than Germany.
Germany has 1.2 times more people than France.
Germany has the highest GDP per capita at $51,160 among the selected countries.
Germany has the largest economy with a GDP of
$4.26 trillion.
France has the largest active military personnel with 203,850 troops.
France has the largest air force with 1,055 aircraft.
France has the largest navy with 180 vessels.
France vs Germany: Key Comparisons
Economy: Germany's GDP of $4.3T is 1.4x larger than France's $2.9T — both among the world's largest economies.
Population: Germany's population of 83M is 1.2x larger than France's 68M.
Area: France covers 551,695 km², making it 1.5x larger than Germany.
Military: France fields 200Thousand active troops vs Germany's 180Thousand.
Trade: France has a trade deficit of $10B while Germany runs a trade surplus of $177B.
Life Expectancy: France leads with a life expectancy of 83 years vs Germany's 81.
Data compiled from World Bank, IMF, Global Firepower, SIPRI, Numbeo, and Pew Research.
Last updated June 2026.
Sources & methodology