Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Poland instead of Laos, you would:

Health

live 10.6 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022. In Poland, that number is 79 years (75 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2022.

be 4.4 times more likely to be obese

In Laos, 5.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Poland, that number is 23.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 4.8 times more money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $7,900 as of 2022, while in Poland, the GDP per capita is $37,700 as of 2022.

be 24.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 3.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Poland, that number is 2.9% as of 2022.

be 35.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Poland, however, that number is 11.8% as of 2022.

pay a 33.3% higher top tax rate

Laos has a top tax rate of 24.0% as of 2016. In Poland, the top tax rate is 32.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 98.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Laos, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Poland, 2.0 women do as of 2020.

be 14.6% more likely to be literate

In Laos, the literacy rate is 87.1% as of 2021. In Poland, it is 99.8% as of 2021.

be 89.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Laos, approximately 37.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Poland, on the other hand, 4.2 children do as of 2022.

have 57.6% fewer children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Poland, there are 8.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 37.1% more likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 62.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Poland, about 85.0% do as of 2021.

be 12.6% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Laos, approximately 89% of people have improved drinking water access (97% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Poland, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 2.3 times more on education

Laos spends 2.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Poland spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 2.4 times more on healthcare

Laos spends 2.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Poland, that number is 6.5% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Finance, Poland.

Poland: At a glance

Poland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 304,255 sq km. Poland's history as a state begins near the middle of the 10th century. By the mid-16th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth ruled a vast tract of land in central and eastern Europe. During the 18th century, internal disorders weakened the nation, and in a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland among themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force with over ten million members. Free elections in 1989 and 1990 won Solidarity control of the parliament and the presidency, bringing the communist era to a close. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed and with large investments in defense, energy, and other infrastructure, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.
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How big is Poland compared to Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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