Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Poland instead of United Kingdom, you would:

Health

be 16.9% less likely to be obese

In United Kingdom, 27.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Poland, that number is 23.1% of people as of 2016.

live 3.2 years less

In United Kingdom, the average life expectancy is 82 years (80 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022. In Poland, that number is 79 years (75 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 28.3% less likely to be unemployed

In United Kingdom, 4.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Poland, that number is 2.9% as of 2023.

be 36.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In United Kingdom, 18.6% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Poland, however, that number is 11.8% as of 2022.

pay a 28.9% lower top tax rate

United Kingdom has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2016. In Poland, the top tax rate is 32.0% as of 2016.

make 18.5% less money

United Kingdom has a GDP per capita of $54,100 as of 2023, while in Poland, the GDP per capita is $44,100 as of 2023.

Life

be 80.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In United Kingdom, approximately 10.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Poland, 2.0 women do as of 2020.

have 22.2% fewer children

In United Kingdom, there are approximately 10.8 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 12.4% less likely to have internet access

In United Kingdom, approximately 97.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Poland, about 85.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 45.8% less on healthcare

United Kingdom spends 12.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Poland, that number is 6.5% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 96.5% less coastline

United Kingdom has a total of 12,429 km of coastline. In Poland, that number is 440 km.

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

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 United Kingdom? See an in-depth size comparison.

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