Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Ukraine fits inside Russia 28 times
Russia: 17,125,200 km² (2024) · Ukraine: 603,550 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
Russia’s coastline is 14 times as long as Ukraine’s
Russia: 37,653 km (2026 edition) · Ukraine: 2,782 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Russia’s highest peak towers 3,581 m above Ukraine’s
Russia: 5,642 m (2026 edition) · Ukraine: 2,061 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 71% of Ukraine, versus 13% of Russia
Russia: 13.2% (2024) · Ukraine: 71.3% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Russia has 3.7 times as many people as Ukraine
Russia: 144 million (2025) · Ukraine: 39 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Ukraine is 7.7 times as densely populated as Russia
Russia: 9 per km² (2025) · Ukraine: 67 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Ukraine are 4.3 cm taller than in Russia
Russia: 176.7 cm (2019) · Ukraine: 181 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Ukraine are 2.1 cm taller than in Russia
Russia: 164.5 cm (2019) · Ukraine: 166.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Ukraine is 2.5 years older than in Russia
Russia: 39.5 years (2023) · Ukraine: 42 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Russia have 0.4 more children on average than in Ukraine
Russia: 1.42 children per woman (2024) · Ukraine: 0.99 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
19% of people in Ukraine are 65 or older, versus 18% in Russia
Russia: 17.8% (2025) · Ukraine: 19% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
Russia hosts 35% more refugees per resident than Ukraine
Russia: 0.1 per 1,000 (2025) · Ukraine: 0.1 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Russia has produced 2.0 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Ukraine 1.3
Russia: 2 (2026) · Ukraine: 1.3 (2026)
How many official languages?
Russia and Ukraine are practically level
Russia: 1 (2026) · Ukraine: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Russia’s economy is 12 times the size of Ukraine’s
Russia: $2.56 trillion (2025) · Ukraine: $214 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Russia produces 2.6 times as much per person as Ukraine
Russia: Int$49,568 (2025) · Ukraine: Int$18,905 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Russia than in Ukraine (Gini 7.4 points higher)
Russia: 33 (2023) · Ukraine: 25.6 (2020)
How many live on less than $3 a day?
Russia and Ukraine are practically level
Russia: 0.1% (2023) · Ukraine: 0% (2020)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 9.8% in Ukraine, versus 2.1% in Russia
Russia: 2.1% (2025) · Ukraine: 9.8% (2021)
How much goes to the military?
Ukraine spends 40% of its GDP on the military, Russia 7.5%
Russia: 7.5% (2025) · Ukraine: 39.6% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
Ukraine’s central government collects 21% of GDP in tax, Russia’s 11%
Russia: 10.9% (2024) · Ukraine: 21% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Russia’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× Ukraine’s
Russia: 35% (2025) · Ukraine: 31% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Russia spends 2.7 times as much on health per person as Ukraine
Russia: $1,003 (2023) · Ukraine: $370 (2021)
How long do people live?
People in Ukraine live 1.3 years longer than in Russia
Russia: 73.4 years (2024) · Ukraine: 74.7 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Ukraine is 85% more likely to die before turning one than in Russia
Russia: 4.1 per 1,000 (2024) · Ukraine: 7.6 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Russia has 45% more doctors per person than Ukraine
Russia: 5.1 per 1,000 (2022) · Ukraine: 3.5 per 1,000 (2023)
How many hospital beds are there?
Russia has 11% more hospital beds per person than Ukraine
Russia: 6.8 per 1,000 (2023) · Ukraine: 6.1 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in Russia is 5% higher than in Ukraine
Russia: 19.8 per 100k (2023) · Ukraine: 18.9 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
28% of adults in Ukraine are obese, versus 21% in Russia
Russia: 21.2% (2024) · Ukraine: 27.8% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
27% of adults in Russia smoke, versus 24% in Ukraine
Russia: 27% (2024) · Ukraine: 23.7% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Russia rate their lives 1.18 points higher than in Ukraine
Russia: 5.83 (2025) · Ukraine: 4.66 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Russia drink 2.7 times as much alcohol as in Ukraine
Russia: 10.4 litres (2023) · Ukraine: 3.9 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Russia has 71% more meat per person than Ukraine
Russia: 84.8 kg (2023) · Ukraine: 49.5 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Russia has 743 kcal more food per person per day than Ukraine
Russia: 3,528 kcal (2023) · Ukraine: 2,786 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Russia put in 42 more hours a year than in Ukraine
Russia: 2,087 hours (2023) · Ukraine: 2,045 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Russia went to school 1.3 years longer than in Ukraine
Russia: 12.4 years (2023) · Ukraine: 11.1 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Russia: no data · Ukraine: 0.07 (2024)
How many World Heritage sites?
Russia has 25 more World Heritage sites than Ukraine (33 against 8)
Russia: 33 (2026) · Ukraine: 8 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
Russia has won 539 Olympic medals, Ukraine 160
Russia: 539 (2026 edition) · Ukraine: 160 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
94% of people in Russia are online, versus 82% in Ukraine
Russia: 94% (2024) · Ukraine: 82% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Russia: no data · Ukraine: 178 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
Russia and Ukraine are practically level
Russia: 100% (2024) · Ukraine: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
75% of people in Russia live in cities, versus 70% in Ukraine
Russia: 75% (2025) · Ukraine: 70% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Russia has 186 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Ukraine 133
Russia: 186 (2024) · Ukraine: 133 (2023)
How much railway is there?
Russia’s railway network is 4 times as long as Ukraine’s
Russia: 85,544 km (2021) · Ukraine: 21,626 km (2020)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Russia fly 59 times as many passengers per resident as those from Ukraine
Russia: 0.69 (2023) · Ukraine: 0.01 (2022)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 51% of Russia, but only 17% of Ukraine
Russia: 50.8% (2024) · Ukraine: 17.3% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Russia emits 3.3 times as much CO₂ as someone in Ukraine
Russia: 12.3 t (2024) · Ukraine: 3.8 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
17% of Russia’s electricity is renewable, versus 16% in Ukraine
Russia: 17.4% (2025) · Ukraine: 16.4% (2022)
How clean is the air?
The air in Ukraine carries 10% more fine dust than in Russia
Russia: 12.9 µg/m³ (2024) · Ukraine: 14.2 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 2.1 times as likely to be murdered in Russia as in Ukraine
Russia: 7.8 per 100k (2024) · Ukraine: 3.8 per 100k (2021)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Ukraine are 40% deadlier than in Russia
Russia: 13.4 per 100k (2023) · Ukraine: 18.7 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Ukraine is on average 12.8 °C warmer than Russia
Russia: -2.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · Ukraine: 10.3°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Ukraine gets 6% more rain than Russia
Russia: 586 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Ukraine: 619 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Between them
People, goods and passports that cross from one to the other
Quick answers
Is Russia bigger than Ukraine?
Russia is larger. Ukraine fits inside Russia 28 times.
Which has more people, Russia or Ukraine?
Russia has 3.7 times as many people as Ukraine (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Russia or Ukraine?
People in Ukraine live 1.3 years longer than in Russia. Life expectancy at birth is 73.4 years in Russia and 74.7 in Ukraine.
Are people taller in Russia or Ukraine?
Men in Ukraine are 4.3 cm taller than in Russia (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
