Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
France is 79% bigger than Finland.
Finland: 338,480 km² (2023) · France: 606,410 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
France’s coastline is 3.9 times as long as Finland’s.
Finland: 1,250 km (2026 edition) · France: 4,853 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
France’s highest peak towers 3,482 m above Finland’s.
Finland: 1,328 m (2026 edition) · France: 4,810 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
France has 12 times as many people as Finland.
Finland: 5.65 million (2025) · France: 68.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
France is 6.9 times as densely populated as Finland.
Finland: 19 per km² (2025) · France: 128 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Finland are 2.0 cm taller than in France.
Finland: 180.6 cm (2019) · France: 178.6 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Finland are 2.0 cm taller than in France.
Finland: 166.5 cm (2019) · France: 164.5 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Finland is 0.97 year older than in France.
Finland: 42.8 years (2023) · France: 41.8 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in France have 0.4 more children on average than in Finland.
Finland: 1.25 children per woman (2024) · France: 1.61 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
24% of people in Finland are 65 or older, versus 23% in France.
Finland: 24.2% (2025) · France: 22.5% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
France has produced 9.3 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Finland 8.9.
Finland: 8.9 (2025) · France: 9.3 (2025)
How many official languages?
Finland has 2 official languages, France 1.
Finland: 2 (2026) · France: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
France’s economy is 11 times the size of Finland’s.
Finland: $317 billion (2025) · France: $3.37 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Finland produces 3% more per person than France.
Finland: Int$65,885 (2025) · France: Int$63,975 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in France than in Finland (Gini 4.4 points higher).
Finland: 27.4 (2023) · France: 31.8 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 9.5% in Finland, versus 7.5% in France.
Finland: 9.5% (2025) · France: 7.5% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Finland and France are practically level.
Finland: 2.3% (2024) · France: 2.1% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Finland’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× France’s.
Finland: 85% (2025) · France: 77% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Finland spends 4% more on health per person than France.
Finland: $5,515 (2023) · France: $5,327 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in France live 0.64 years longer than in Finland.
Finland: 82.3 years (2024) · France: 83 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in France is 79% more likely to die before turning one than in Finland.
Finland: 1.9 per 1,000 (2024) · France: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Finland has 10% more doctors per person than France.
Finland: 3.6 per 1,000 (2021) · France: 3.3 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
26% of adults in Finland are obese, versus 13% in France.
Finland: 26.2% (2024) · France: 12.5% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
34% of adults in France smoke, versus 21% in Finland.
Finland: 21.4% (2024) · France: 33.6% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Finland rate their lives 1.18 points higher than in France.
Finland: 7.76 (2025) · France: 6.59 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in France drink 19% more alcohol than in Finland.
Finland: 9.4 litres (2023) · France: 11.2 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
France has 16% more meat per person than Finland.
Finland: 69.4 kg (2023) · France: 80.3 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
France has 144 kcal more food per person per day than Finland.
Finland: 3,346 kcal (2023) · France: 3,490 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Finland put in 10 more hours a year than in France.
Finland: 1,497 hours (2023) · France: 1,487 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Finland went to school 1.2 years longer than in France.
Finland: 13 years (2023) · France: 11.8 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
France welcomed 69% more tourists per resident than Finland (2019).
Finland: 0.8 (2024) · France: 1.35 (2019)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
94% of people in Finland are online, versus 89% in France.
Finland: 94% (2024) · France: 89% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Finland and France are practically level.
Finland: 100% (2024) · France: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
79% of people in France live in cities, versus 75% in Finland.
Finland: 75% (2025) · France: 79% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Finland has 126 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, France 117.
Finland: 126 (2024) · France: 117 (2023)
How much railway is there?
France’s railway network is 4.7 times as long as Finland’s.
Finland: 5,918 km (2021) · France: 27,716 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Finland fly 2 times as many passengers per resident as those from France.
Finland: 1.91 (2023) · France: 0.94 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 74% of Finland, but only 32% of France.
Finland: 73.7% (2023) · France: 32.5% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Finland emits 34% more CO₂ than someone in France.
Finland: 5.3 t (2024) · France: 4 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
56% of Finland’s electricity is renewable, versus 26% in France.
Finland: 56.5% (2025) · France: 26.1% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in France carries 65% more fine dust than in Finland.
Finland: 5.4 µg/m³ (2024) · France: 8.9 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 37% more likely to be murdered in France than in Finland.
Finland: 1 per 100k (2023) · France: 1.3 per 100k (2024)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in France are 12% deadlier than in Finland.
Finland: 4.2 per 100k (2021) · France: 4.7 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
France is on average 10.6 °C warmer than Finland.
Finland: 3.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · France: 14.1°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
France gets 53% more rain than Finland.
Finland: 758 mm (2016–2025 avg) · France: 1,158 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Finland bigger than France?
France is larger. France is 79% bigger than Finland.
Which has more people, Finland or France?
France has 12 times as many people as Finland (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Finland or France?
People in France live 0.64 years longer than in Finland. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Finland and 83.0 in France.
Are people taller in Finland or France?
Men in Finland are 2.0 cm taller than in France (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
