Argentina and Chile Economies: A Side-by-Side Table Comparison

In comparing Argentina and Chile, Argentina’s population is about 2.36 times larger and its land area is 3.65 times bigger. While Argentina’s GDP is roughly twice that of Chile, its GDP per capita is about 11% lower. Chile enjoys greater economic freedom and higher income inequality, while Argentina spends significantly less on its military.

Basic Indicators

Indicator	Argentina	Chile	Comparison
Population source (2022 data), updated 2024	46.23 million (32nd)	19.60 million (62nd)	Argentina’s population is approximately 2.36 times larger than Chile’s.
Surface area (sq. km) source (2022 data), updated 2024	2.78 million sq. km (8th)	0.76 million sq. km (36th)	Argentina is 3.65 times larger than Chile.
GDP source (2022 data), updated 2024	631.13B USD (22nd)	301.02B USD (43rd)	Argentina’s total GDP is approximately 2.1 times larger than Chile’s.
GDP per capita source (2022 data), updated 2024	$13,651 (64th)	15,355 USD (61st)	Argentina’s GDP per capita is roughly 11% lower than Chile’s, with Argentinians producing about $1,704.88 less per person annually.

Economic Indexes

Index	Argentina	Chile	Comparison
HDI (Human Development Index) source (2022 data), updated 2024	0.849 (48th)	0.86 (45th)	Argentina’s HDI is 0.849 (high), while Chile’s is 0.860 (very high). Chile’s score is 0.011 higher, indicating slightly better human development overall.
Index of Economic Freedom source (2024 data)	49.9 (132nd)	71.4 (20th)	Argentina’s Index of Economic Freedom is 30% lower than Chile’s, 21.5 points less.
GINI source (2022 data), updated 2024	42 (2021 est.)	44.9 (2020 est.)	With a 6.9% higher Gini coefficient, Chile has a higher degree of income inequality than Argentina.

International trade _{source(2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	Chile
Total imports	92.57B USD	99.81B
Imports % of GDP	15.35%	39.35%
Main import partners	China 21%, Brazil 20%, US 14%, Germany 3%, Paraguay 2%	China 26%, US 22%, Brazil 10%, Argentina 5%, Germany 3%
Main import items	refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, fertilizers, cars	refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, garments, trucks
Total exports	83.36B USD	104.35B
Exports % of GDP	16.30%	35.67%
Main export Partners	Brazil 15%, China 9%, US 8%, Chile 6%, India 5%	China 39%, US 14%, Japan 8%, South Korea 6%, Brazil 5%
Main export items	soybean meal, corn, soybean oil, wheat, trucks	copper ore, refined copper, carbonates, fish, raw copper

Argentina’s imports are about 93B USD, 15.35% of GDP, while Chile’s are 100B USD, making up 39.35% of its GDP. Argentina’s exports are $83.36B, mostly basic goods, while Chile’s $104.35B exports are more advanced and crucial to its economy.

Military Power _{source (2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	Chile
Military expenditure	3.1B USD	5.5B USD
Military expenditure (% of GDP)	0.41%	1.83%
Active military	72k	77k
Active military per 1,000 capita	2.3	9

Argentina’s military expenditure is approximately 43% lower than Chile’s, with a budget of $3.12 billion compared to Chile’s $5.49 billion, and Argentina allocates a significantly smaller portion of its GDP to defense at 0.41% versus Chile’s 1.83%.