France vs Switzerland
France vs Switzerland: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 32.9% in France and 32% in Switzerland, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in France, by 0.8 percentage points, or 1.03 times that in Switzerland.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- France has been higher since 2018, when it overtook Switzerland.
- In 2024, France ranked 106 and Switzerland ranked 108 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | France | Switzerland | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 32.9 | 32 | – |
| 2023 | 32.7 | 32 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 32.5 | 31.9 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 32.4 | 31.9 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 32.2 | 31.8 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 32 | 31.8 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 31.8 | 31.7 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 31.6 | 31.7 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 31.4 | 31.7 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 31.2 | 31.6 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 31.1 | 31.5 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 30.9 | 31.5 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 30.8 | 31.4 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 30.6 | 31.3 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 30.5 | 31.3 | 32 |
| 2009 | 30.3 | 31.2 | 32 |
| 2008 | 30.1 | 31.1 | 32 |
| 2007 | 29.8 | 31 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 29.6 | 30.9 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 29.4 | 30.8 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 29.2 | 30.7 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 29 | 30.6 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 28.8 | 30.5 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 28.6 | 30.4 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 28.4 | 30.3 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 28.2 | 30.2 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 28.1 | 30.1 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 27.9 | 29.9 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 27.7 | 29.8 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 27.6 | 29.7 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 27.4 | 29.6 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 27.3 | 29.5 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 27.1 | 29.4 | 33 |
| 1991 | 26.9 | 29.3 | – |
| 1990 | 26.8 | 29.2 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
- Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 209 countries with a value in 2024, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
France vs Switzerland
Health
- Life expectancyFrance: 83.3 years in 2023Switzerland: 84 years in 2023
- Child mortalityFrance: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024Switzerland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityFrance: 3.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023Switzerland: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterFrance: 99.7% in 2022Switzerland: 96.7% in 2022
- DepressionFrance: 4.25% in 2017Switzerland: 3.71% in 2017
- Suicide rateFrance: 12.4 per 100,000 people in 2017Switzerland: 9.3 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationFrance: 66.4 million people in 2023Switzerland: 8.87 million people in 2023
- Population growthFrance: 0.17% a year in 2023Switzerland: 0.62% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateFrance: 1.64 births per woman in 2023Switzerland: 1.43 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationFrance: 78.8% in 2025Switzerland: 85.7% in 2025
- Median ageFrance: 41.8 years in 2023Switzerland: 42.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overFrance: 21.8% in 2023Switzerland: 19.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateFrance: 1.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Switzerland: 5.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingFrance: 2.03% of GDP in 2025Switzerland: 0.76% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsFrance: $64.5B in 2025Switzerland: $7.15B in 2025
- Military spending per personFrance: $1,021 in 2025Switzerland: $849 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingFrance: 3.5% of government spending in 2025Switzerland: 2.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelFrance: 304,000 people in 2020Switzerland: 20,000 people in 2020
- National powerFrance: 1.09% of world capability in 2022Switzerland: 0.12% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersFrance: 1% of the labour force in 2020Switzerland: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsFrance: 236 million TIV in 2025Switzerland: 33 million TIV in 2023
- Arms exportsFrance: 3.37 billion TIV in 2025Switzerland: 129 million TIV in 2025