If you lived in Poland instead of El Salvador, you would:

Health

live 6.1 years longer

In El Salvador, the average life expectancy is 72 years (68 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024. In Poland, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 32.2% less likely to be obese

In El Salvador, 32.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Poland, that number is 21.8% of people as of 2024.

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see 3.4 times more spent on your healthcare

El Salvador spends $1,176 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Poland spends $3,939 as of 2024.

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have 2.5 times more doctors per person

El Salvador has 16.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Poland has 40.3 as of 2023.

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be 79.2% more likely to die by suicide

El Salvador has a suicide rate of 7.6 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 50.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In El Salvador, 27.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Poland, however, that number is 13.5% as of 2025.

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make 4.9 times more money

El Salvador has a GDP per capita of $5,767 as of 2025, while in Poland, the GDP per capita is $28,420 as of 2025.

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Life

be 94.9% less likely to die during childbirth

In El Salvador, approximately 39.0 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 11.2% more likely to be literate

In El Salvador, the literacy rate is 89.8% as of 2024. In Poland, it is 99.8% as of 2021.

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be 59.1% less likely to die during infancy

In El Salvador, approximately 8.8 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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have 55.8% fewer children

In El Salvador, there are approximately 15.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Poland, there are 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 33.2% more likely to have internet access

In El Salvador, approximately 66.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Poland, about 88.6% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 13.2% less on healthcare

El Salvador spends 9.3% 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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spend 29.8% more on education

El Salvador spends 3.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Poland spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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Geography

see 43.3% more coastline

El Salvador has a total of 307 km of coastline. In Poland, that number is 440 km.

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Safety

be 89.9% less likely to be murdered

El Salvador has a homicide rate of 7.9 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Poland, that number is 0.8 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 69.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In El Salvador, road accidents kill 21.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Poland, they kill 6.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 70.7% less likely to feel safe walking alone at night

In El Salvador, 38% of people feel safe walking alone at night as of 2019. In Poland, that number is 11% as of 2022.

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Infrastructure

find 2.0 times more home broadband

El Salvador has 12.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Poland has 25.4 as of 2024.

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use 3.8 times more electricity

El Salvador uses 1,137 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Poland uses 4,370 kWh as of 2024.

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live with 2.7 times more strain on fresh water

El Salvador withdraws 12% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Poland withdraws 32% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 32.3% more likely to die from air pollution

In El Salvador, air pollution causes 31.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Poland, it causes 41.0 as of 2019.

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emit 5.0 times more CO2

El Salvador emits 1.5 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 (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), The World Factbook (2021), World Health Organization (2024). 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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