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Poland vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 177 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Poland
pol
Leads on 106 of 177 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 62 of 177 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 74% more people than Poland (65.49 million vs 37.74 million). Poland's economy is 2.5 times the size of South Africa's ($1.04 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP).

Comparing Poland and South Africa: South Africa leads on Natural Gas Production (906.10) against Poland (5.75); Poland leads on Apple Import Volume (4.18 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); Poland leads on Maternal Mortality Ratio (%) (2 %) against South Africa (118 %). Across 177 compared metrics, Poland wins on 106 and South Africa wins on 62.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration25.36 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)88.58 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)86.41 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 86% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed25.36 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score74.79 points75.71 points★
Radios20.2★17
Televisions13.05★6
Waterways3,812NA

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country22.79B $★14.21B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars1.04T $★424.75B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)17.8 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume4.18M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate86.14 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)1.5 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.272.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.8 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends19 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index82.9★59.6
Electricity Consumption149.4207.1★
Electricity Exports12.0216.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7985★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants2★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables19★10
Electricity Imports14.02★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity38.1150.02★
Electricity Production156.9234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)103.65 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate69.78 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient28.563★
Gross Fixed Investment20.3★19.5
Gross National Saving20★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage53.91 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries46,924.59 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.6 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate3.81 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.8 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)4.5 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption20.1★5.07
Natural Gas Exports1.25★0
Natural Gas Imports15.72★4.16
Natural Gas Production5.75906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves79.79★0
Number of AI Patents Filed19 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption564,500★553,000
Oil Exports50,40054,930★
Oil Imports531,300★521,400
Oil Production28,230192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves96.38★15
Population Below Poverty Line11.8 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)12.21 % of GDP★12.02 % of GDP
Public Debt50.6★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.44 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.9 USD★0.6 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption649,600★621,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports104,800105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports222,300★195,200
Refined Petroleum Products Production554,200★487,100
Remittances0.9★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million3,721.07 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding1.44 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.57★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)18 %★25.4 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)18 % of GDP25.4 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues1826★
Top Exporting Countries478.89B USD★127.53B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.93 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires10★7
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.3 %3.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.3 %3.54 %★
Unemployment Rate2.5 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate58.31 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate10.7 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-10.38M★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate6,159.96 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature9.5 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions264.03★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution684.43 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionpopulation concentrated in the southern area around Krakow and the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, with an extension to the northern coastal city of Gdanskthe population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation39.64 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage39.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country12.5 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources60.5★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species4 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization4.31 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)166★85.66
Agricultural land140,715.6 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km306,2701.21M★
Coastline Length (km)440 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita77.23 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land1,32716,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country64.92 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions16★9
Corruption Perception Index53 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score53 index★41 index
Independence1131★
LGBT Rights Index Score3.9610.94★
Prison Population Rate191 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception5341★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water88.68 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27.4 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate92 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)15.97★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)8.1★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders78.41 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.24 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita4,597.71 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score82 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.7 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy78.41 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density6.6 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita6.6 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence5.61 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)2 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth26.9★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density6.33 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)23.1 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending15.85 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDSNA7.8
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)5.54 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors3.42★0.79
Underweight Children Under 50.7★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel114,000 personnel★74,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)4.5 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)189,000★89,000

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)57.33 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.8★0.42
Life expectancy at birth83.7 years★71.98 years
Median age of population42.88 years★29 years
Population Change-573,610.4 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density125.67 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population37.74M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.86★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsB-C★A
Beer Consumption per Capita5.47 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)8.03 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate62.3 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate6.9 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)11.56 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age8.69M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)93.49 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate25.36 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.62★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate18.2527.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school12 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.8 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)177.33★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling12.01 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age19★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio29.91 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization60.5 %79.63 %★
Physician Density4.03 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.98 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums6.64 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio10.19★32.77
Total deaths382,061.3 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)60.51 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.3 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-482,926.6 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate3.4 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.15 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population59.08 millions★47.28 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.53★0.37
Airports318573★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel4890★
Heliports1649★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita16.84B USD★6.72B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇵🇱 Poland🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate3.75 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Poland vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Poland or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 74% more people than Poland (65.49 million vs 37.74 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Poland or South Africa?▾

Poland. Poland's economy is 2.5 times the size of South Africa's ($1.04 trillion vs $424.75 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Poland or South Africa?▾

Poland is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $27,634 in Poland vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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