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

Health

live 10.4 years longer

In Rwanda, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 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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see 22.3 times more spent on your healthcare

Rwanda spends $177 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Poland spends $3,939 as of 2024.

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have 44.8 times more doctors per person

Rwanda has 0.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Poland has 40.3 as of 2023.

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have 67.3% more access to essential health services

Rwanda scores 49 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Poland scores 82 as of 2021.

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be 3.9 times more likely to be obese

In Rwanda, 5.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Poland, that number is 21.8% of people as of 2024.

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be 57.5% more likely to die by suicide

Rwanda has a suicide rate of 8.7 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 73.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Rwanda, 11.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Poland, that number is 3.0% as of 2025.

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be 50.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Rwanda, 27.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Poland, however, that number is 13.5% as of 2025.

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make 25.3 times more money

Rwanda has a GDP per capita of $1,124 as of 2025, while in Poland, the GDP per capita is $28,420 as of 2025.

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Life

be 99.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Rwanda, approximately 229.0 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 26.7% more likely to be literate

In Rwanda, the literacy rate is 78.8% as of 2022. In Poland, it is 99.8% as of 2021.

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be 87.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Rwanda, approximately 29.4 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 75.4% fewer children

In Rwanda, there are approximately 28.1 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 56.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In Rwanda, approximately 64% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 58% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Poland, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 2.8 times more likely to have internet access

In Rwanda, approximately 31.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Poland, about 88.6% do as of 2024.

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be 46.8% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Rwanda, approximately 61% of people have access to drinking water (88% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Poland, that number is 90% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 82% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 57.1% more on healthcare

Rwanda spends 5.1% 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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Safety

be 77.8% less likely to be murdered

Rwanda has a homicide rate of 3.6 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 44.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Rwanda, road accidents kill 11.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Poland, they kill 6.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 42.3 times more home broadband

Rwanda has 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Poland has 25.4 as of 2024.

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use 57.0 times more electricity

Rwanda uses 77 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Poland uses 4,370 kWh as of 2024.

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live with 60.8% more strain on fresh water

Rwanda withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Poland withdraws 32% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 33.9% less likely to die from air pollution

In Rwanda, air pollution causes 62.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Poland, it causes 41.0 as of 2019.

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emit 47.2 times more CO2

Rwanda emits 0.2 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 (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021). 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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How big is Poland compared to Rwanda? See an in-depth size comparison.

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