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

Health

see 2.6 times more spent on your healthcare

China spends $1,487 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Poland spends $3,939 as of 2024.

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have 29.5% more doctors per person

China has 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Poland has 40.3 as of 2023.

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be 2.3 times more likely to be obese

In China, 9.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Poland, that number is 21.8% of people as of 2024.

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be 52.7% more likely to die by suicide

China has a suicide rate of 8.9 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Poland, it is 13.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 35.5% less likely to be unemployed

In China, 4.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Poland, that number is 3.0% as of 2025.

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make 2.1 times more money

China has a GDP per capita of $13,862 as of 2025, while in Poland, the GDP per capita is $28,420 as of 2025.

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Life

be 87.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In China, approximately 16.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Poland, 2.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 12.2% less likely to die during infancy

In China, approximately 4.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Poland, on the other hand, 3.6 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 10.5% more on education

China spends 3.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Poland spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 35.7% more on healthcare

China spends 5.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Poland, that number is 8.1% of GDP as of 2024.

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Geography

see 97.0% less coastline

China has a total of 14,500 km of coastline. In Poland, that number is 440 km.

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Safety

be 62.6% less likely to die in a road accident

In China, road accidents kill 17.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Poland, they kill 6.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 60.0% more likely to be murdered

China has a homicide rate of 0.5 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In Poland, that number is 0.8 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 87.9% less likely to feel safe walking alone at night

In China, 91% of people feel safe walking alone at night as of 2020. In Poland, that number is 11% as of 2022.

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Infrastructure

live with 21.7% less strain on fresh water

China withdraws 42% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Poland withdraws 32% as of 2022.

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find 46.3% less home broadband

China has 47.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Poland has 25.4 as of 2024.

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use 33.0% less electricity

China uses 6,524 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Poland uses 4,370 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 35.9% less likely to die from air pollution

In China, air pollution causes 64.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Poland, it causes 41.0 as of 2019.

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emit 19.0% less CO2

China emits 9.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Poland emits 7.5 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

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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