Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Finland is 12% bigger than Italy.
Finland: 338,480 km² (2023) · Italy: 302,070 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Italy’s coastline is 6.1 times as long as Finland’s.
Finland: 1,250 km (2026 edition) · Italy: 7,600 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Italy’s highest peak towers 3,420 m above Finland’s.
Finland: 1,328 m (2026 edition) · Italy: 4,748 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Italy has 10 times as many people as Finland.
Finland: 5.65 million (2025) · Italy: 58.9 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Italy is 11 times as densely populated as Finland.
Finland: 19 per km² (2025) · Italy: 199 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Finland are 6.2 cm taller than in Italy.
Finland: 180.6 cm (2019) · Italy: 174.4 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Finland are 4.7 cm taller than in Italy.
Finland: 166.5 cm (2019) · Italy: 161.8 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Italy is 4.7 years older than in Finland.
Finland: 42.8 years (2023) · Italy: 47.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Finland have 0.1 more children on average than in Italy.
Finland: 1.25 children per woman (2024) · Italy: 1.18 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
25% of people in Italy are 65 or older, versus 24% in Finland.
Finland: 24.2% (2025) · Italy: 25.1% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Finland has produced 8.9 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Italy 3.4.
Finland: 8.9 (2025) · Italy: 3.4 (2025)
How many official languages?
Finland has 2 official languages, Italy 1.
Finland: 2 (2026) · Italy: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Italy’s economy is 8 times the size of Finland’s.
Finland: $317 billion (2025) · Italy: $2.55 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Finland produces 5% more per person than Italy.
Finland: Int$65,885 (2025) · Italy: Int$62,803 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Italy than in Finland (Gini 6.9 points higher).
Finland: 27.4 (2023) · Italy: 34.3 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 9.5% in Finland, versus 6.4% in Italy.
Finland: 9.5% (2025) · Italy: 6.4% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Finland spends 2.3% of its GDP on the military, Italy 1.6%.
Finland: 2.3% (2024) · Italy: 1.6% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Finland’s price level (US = 100) is 1.2× Italy’s.
Finland: 85% (2025) · Italy: 69% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Finland spends 62% more on health per person than Italy.
Finland: $5,515 (2023) · Italy: $3,398 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in Italy live 1.6 years longer than in Finland.
Finland: 82.3 years (2024) · Italy: 84 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Italy is 21% more likely to die before turning one than in Finland.
Finland: 1.9 per 1,000 (2024) · Italy: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Italy has 16% more doctors per person than Finland.
Finland: 3.6 per 1,000 (2021) · Italy: 4.2 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
26% of adults in Finland are obese, versus 18% in Italy.
Finland: 26.2% (2024) · Italy: 17.9% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
22% of adults in Italy smoke, versus 21% in Finland.
Finland: 21.4% (2024) · Italy: 22.4% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Finland rate their lives 1.19 points higher than in Italy.
Finland: 7.76 (2025) · Italy: 6.57 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Finland drink 11% more alcohol than in Italy.
Finland: 9.4 litres (2023) · Italy: 8.4 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Italy has 3% more meat per person than Finland.
Finland: 69.4 kg (2023) · Italy: 71.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Italy has 407 kcal more food per person per day than Finland.
Finland: 3,346 kcal (2023) · Italy: 3,753 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Italy put in 205 more hours a year than in Finland.
Finland: 1,497 hours (2023) · Italy: 1,701 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Finland went to school 2.2 years longer than in Italy.
Finland: 13 years (2023) · Italy: 10.8 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Italy welcomed 23% more tourists per resident than Finland (2019).
Finland: 0.8 (2024) · Italy: 0.98 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
94% of people in Finland are online, versus 89% in Italy.
Finland: 94% (2024) · Italy: 89% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Finland and Italy are practically level.
Finland: 100% (2024) · Italy: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
75% of people in Finland live in cities, versus 70% in Italy.
Finland: 75% (2025) · Italy: 70% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Italy has 133 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Finland 126.
Finland: 126 (2024) · Italy: 133 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Italy’s railway network is 2.9 times as long as Finland’s.
Finland: 5,918 km (2021) · Italy: 17,305 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Finland fly 5.6 times as many passengers per resident as those from Italy.
Finland: 1.91 (2023) · Italy: 0.34 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 74% of Finland, but only 33% of Italy.
Finland: 73.7% (2023) · Italy: 32.9% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Finland emits 4% more CO₂ than someone in Italy.
Finland: 5.3 t (2024) · Italy: 5.1 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
56% of Finland’s electricity is renewable, versus 49% in Italy.
Finland: 56.5% (2025) · Italy: 48.8% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Italy carries 2.8 times as much fine dust as in Finland.
Finland: 5.4 µg/m³ (2024) · Italy: 15.2 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 73% more likely to be murdered in Finland than in Italy.
Finland: 1 per 100k (2023) · Italy: 0.6 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Italy are 19% deadlier than in Finland.
Finland: 4.2 per 100k (2021) · Italy: 5 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Italy is on average 10.3 °C warmer than Finland.
Finland: 3.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · Italy: 13.9°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Italy gets 36% more rain than Finland.
Finland: 758 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Italy: 1,030 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Finland bigger than Italy?
Finland is larger. Finland is 12% bigger than Italy.
Which has more people, Finland or Italy?
Italy has 10 times as many people as Finland (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Finland or Italy?
People in Italy live 1.6 years longer than in Finland. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Finland and 84.0 in Italy.
Are people taller in Finland or Italy?
Men in Finland are 6.2 cm taller than in Italy (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
