Poland (Republic of Poland)

http://www.humantruth.info/poland.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2013

Poland Republic of Poland
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	28th best
Capital	Warsaw
Land Area	304 150km²₁
Location	Europe
Population	37.9m₂
Life Expectancy	76.46yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$33 034 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	PL, POL, 616₅
Internet Domain	.pl₆
Currency	Zloty (PLN)₇
Telephone	+48₈

1. Overview

#germany #poland #russia

“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, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Chic medieval hot spots like Kraków and Gdansk vie with energetic Warsaw for your urban attention. Outside the cities, forests, rivers, lakes and hills beckon for some fresh-air fun. If they were handing out prizes for `most eventful history´, Poland would be sure to get a medal. The nation has spent centuries at the pointy end of history, grappling with war and invasion. Nothing, however, has succeeded in suppressing the Poles´ strong cultural identity. As a result, centres such as bustling Warsaw and cultured Kraków exude a sophisticated energy that´s a heady mix of old and new.
Away from the cities, Poland offers a diverse range of experiences, from swimming on its Baltic Sea beaches to skiing or hiking in its magnificent mountains. Everywhere in between are towns and cities dotted with ruined castles, picturesque squares, colourful houses and historic churches.Although prices are slowly rising as its economy gathers momentum, Poland is still good value for travellers year-round. As the Polish people work on combining their national identity with their place in Europe, it´s a fascinating time to visit this beautiful country.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Poland National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₁
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
4	Hong Kong	0.952
5	Australia	0.951
	...
31	Estonia	0.890
32	Czechia	0.889
33	Greece	0.887
34	Poland	0.876
35	Bahrain	0.875
36	Lithuania	0.875
	Europe Avg	0.87
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₁
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
4	Luxembourg	$84 649
5	Ireland	$76 169
	...
39	Estonia	$38 048
40	Lithuania	$37 931
41	Portugal	$33 155
42	Poland	$33 034
43	Latvia	$32 803
44	Hungary	$32 789
	Europe Avg	$40 512
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₂_,₁₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₂_,₁₃
1	Taiwan	28.6
2	Norway	29.4
3	Denmark	31.2
4	Sweden	32.2
5	Finland	32.6
	...
25	Hungary	49.4
26	Estonia	50.4
27	Portugal	50.8
28	Poland	54.6
29	Singapore	54.7
30	USA	55.8
	Europe Avg	57.3
	World Avg	86.1
q=195.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Poland's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population

Population:

Poland's population is predicted to fall to 37 835 000 by 2030. Developed countries with falling populations face a pension's crises, whereby an increasingly ageing population must be cared for by fewer and fewer workers. Economic stability can be maintained by increasing foreign workers from younger countries. This country has a fertility rate of 1.40. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

Population (2018)₂
Pos.		Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
4	Indonesia	267.7m
5	Pakistan	212.2m
	...
34	Algeria	42.2m
35	Sudan	41.8m
36	Iraq	38.4m
37	Poland	37.9m
38	Afghanistan	37.2m
39	Canada	37.1m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
	...
48	Costa Rica	77.0
49	Saudi Arabia	76.9
50	Albania	76.5
51	Poland	76.5
52	Sri Lanka	76.4
53	Algeria	76.4
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate (2013)₁₄
Pos.		2.0 is best₁₄
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
97	Hungary	1.42
98	Romania	1.42
99	Japan	1.40
100	Poland	1.40
101	Nepal	2.60
102	Macedonia	1.40
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016)₁₅
Pos.		Lower is better Per 100₁₅
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
4	Burkina Faso	04.7
5	Sierra Leone	04.8
	...
157	Lithuania	36.0
158	Czechia	36.1
159	Cuba	36.2
160	Poland	36.3
161	Singapore	36.5
162	Latvia	36.7
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration:

Immigrants (2017)₁₆
Pos.		%₁₆
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
4	Liechtenstein	65.1%
5	Monaco	54.9%
	...
135	Albania	1.8%
136	Pakistan	1.7%
137	Nepal	1.7%
138	Poland	1.7%
139	Senegal	1.7%
140	Comoros	1.5%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants (2010)₁₇
Pos.		%₁₇
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
4	Grenada	65.5%
5	St Kitts & Nevis	61.1%
	...
76	Somalia	8.7%
77	Kuwait	8.5%
78	Ecuador	8.3%
79	Poland	8.3%
80	Afghanistan	8.1%
81	Paraguay	7.9%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #Poland #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)₁₈_,₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₈_,₁₉
1	Sweden	9.2
2	Norway	14.7
3	Denmark	14.7
4	Netherlands	15.8
5	New Zealand	17.5
	...
27	Slovakia	42.7
28	Estonia	42.9
29	Portugal	43.0
30	Poland	43.2
31	Argentina	43.8
32	Romania	44.3
	Europe Avg	50.3
	World Avg	87.7
q=199.

Poland performs very well in ensuring human rights and freedom compared to most other countries. Poland does better than average for supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₀, supporting press freedom₂₁, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₂ (but low for Europe), the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₂₃ (but bad for Europe), its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₄, opposing gender inequality₂₅, speed of uptake of HR treaties₂₆ and in LGBT equality₂₇. But, things could still be better. Poland does worse than average in terms of its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₈ (amongst the highest in Europe) and in freethought₂₉. Human Rights Watch sounded warnings that in 2017 Poland "continued to undermine the rule of law and human rights protection during the year"₃₀. Poland is Europe's most Catholic country and has the region's most restrictive abortion laws in Europe₃₁ but in 2017 made access to emergency contraception even more limited₃₁, as part of its overall commitment to making family planning impossible, even in cases of extreme poverty. Such religious-based doctrine should only be accepted voluntarily by believers, not be forced upon the populace as a whole.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Human Rights and Freedom in Poland

5. Poland's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #Poland #population #smoking #suicide #vaccines

Compared to Europe (2020)₃₂_,₃₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₂_,₃₃
1	Monaco	13.0
2	Norway	61.0
3	Finland	65.3
4	Switzerland	65.6
5	Italy	67.5
	...
23	Slovakia	81.1
24	Macedonia	82.5
25	Croatia	82.9
26	Poland	83.5
27	Czechia	83.6
28	France	83.8
29	Bosnia & Herzegovina	84.0
	Europe Avg	82.5
q=46.

Health (2020)₃₂_,₃₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₂_,₃₃
1	Monaco	13.0
2	Hong Kong	18.3
3	Maldives	41.0
4	Singapore	42.6
5	Japan	51.0
	...
59	Turkmenistan	83.1
60	Tajikistan	83.1
61	Canada	83.5
62	Poland	83.5
63	Czechia	83.6
64	France	83.8
65	Bosnia & Herzegovina	84.0
	World Avg	93.5
q=196.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Hong Kong and The Maldives₃₂. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Marshall Islands, S. Sudan and Palau₃₂.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean₃₂, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Australasia and Africa₃₂.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Poland does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Poland comes in the best 20 when it comes to its fertility rate₁₄. It does better than average in terms of its immunizations take-up₃₄, its adolescent birth rate₂₅ (but bad for Europe), its average life expectancy₁₁ (but bad for Europe) and in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₅ (but high for Europe). But, things still need to improve in Poland. Poland does worse than average in its suicide rate₃₆ and in its smoking rate₃₇. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in its alcohol consumption rate₃₈. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the last 40 years.

Life Expectancy (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
	...
48	Costa Rica	77.0
49	Saudi Arabia	76.9
50	Albania	76.5
51	Poland	76.5
52	Sri Lanka	76.4
53	Algeria	76.4
	Europe Avg	78.36
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption (2016)₃₈
Pos.		Lower is better Per Capita₃₈
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
4	Mauritania	0.0
5	Somalia	0.0
	...
170	Switzerland	11.5
171	Austria	11.6
172	Estonia	11.6
173	Poland	11.6
174	Russia	11.7
175	Seychelles	12.0
	Europe Avg	10.3
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate (2013)₁₄
Pos.		2.0 is best₁₄
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
97	Hungary	1.42
98	Romania	1.42
99	Japan	1.40
100	Poland	1.40
101	Nepal	2.60
102	Macedonia	1.40
	Europe Avg	1.61
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Smoking Rates (2014)₃₇
Pos.		Higher is worse₃₇
182	Montenegro	4 125
181	Belarus	3 831
180	Lebanon	3 023
179	Macedonia	2 732
178	Russia	2 690
	...
151	Bulgaria	1 505
150	Germany	1 480
149	Italy	1 443
148	Poland	1 396
147	Netherlands	1 396
146	Saudi Arabia	1 395
	Europe Avg	1 648
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate (2013)₃₆
Pos.		Per 100k₃₆
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
4	Jordan	0.2
5	Maldives	0.7
	...
67	Czechia	28.3
68	Suriname	28.7
69	Hong Kong	29.7
70	Poland	30.5
71	Austria	30.9
72	Uruguay	32.3
	Europe Avg	26.99
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance (2017)₃₅
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₅
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
4	UK	4
5	Norway	5
	...
76	Malta	76
77	Guatemala	77
78	Sri Lanka	78
79	Poland	79
80	Uruguay	80
81	Dominican Rep.	81
	Europe Avg	47.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults (2016)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better %₃₉
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
4	Ethiopia	20.9
5	Nepal	21.0
	...
121	Macedonia	58.1
122	Nicaragua	58.2
123	Norway	58.3
124	Poland	58.3
125	Ukraine	58.4
126	Cuba	58.5
	Europe Avg	58.5
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015)₂₅
Pos.		Lower is better Per 1000₂₅
1	N. Korea	0.5
2	S. Korea	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
4	Hong Kong	3.2
5	Slovenia	3.8
	...
40	Montenegro	12.2
41	Lebanon	12.4
42	Estonia	13.1
43	Poland	13.4
44	Bahrain	13.5
45	Malaysia	13.6
	Europe Avg	14.6
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015)₃₄
Pos.		Higher is better Avg %₃₄
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
4	Niue	98.8
5	Mongolia	98.7
	...
39	Jordan	96.6
40	Brunei	96.6
41	Spain	96.5
42	Poland	96.5
43	Libya	96.4
44	St Kitts & Nevis	96.3
	Europe Avg	92.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. Poland's Modernity and Learning

#education #english #intelligence #it_security #maths #modernity #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation #technology #the_internet

Compared to Europe (2020)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉
1	Finland	8.4
2	Switzerland	15.1
3	Estonia	15.8
4	Denmark	16.0
5	Belgium	16.1
	...
18	Netherlands	24.7
19	Latvia	28.2
20	France	28.8
21	Poland	34.6
22	Lithuania	35.0
23	Spain	37.1
24	Italy	38.5
	Europe Avg	41.2
q=49.

Modernity and Learning (2020)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉
1	Finland	8.4
2	Taiwan	10.0
3	Switzerland	15.1
4	Estonia	15.8
5	Denmark	16.0
	...
28	USA	29.3
29	Israel	32.2
30	Hong Kong	32.6
31	Poland	34.6
32	Lithuania	35.0
33	Spain	37.1
34	Italy	38.5
	World Avg	83.2
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Research and Development (2016)
Pos.		Higher is better % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.29₄₀
2	Israel	4.11₄₀
3	Japan	3.58₄₀
4	Finland	3.17₄₀
5	Sweden	3.16₄₀
	...
33	Malaysia	1.13₄₁
34	Turkey	1.01₄₀
35	Lithuania	0.95₄₂
36	Poland	0.94₄₀
37	Slovakia	0.89₄₀
38	Malta	0.89₄₂
	Europe Avg	1.32
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education (2018)₄₃
Pos.		Higher is better₄₃
1	Luxembourg	100.0%
2	Estonia	100.0%
3	Austria	100.0%
4	Canada	100.0%
5	Finland	100.0%
	...
48	Ireland	88.3%
49	Netherlands	88.3%
50	Cuba	87.4%
51	Poland	85.3%
52	Belgium	84.8%
53	UK	84.5%
	Europe Avg	88.3%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling (2021)₄₄
Pos.		Higher is better Years₄₄
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
4	Belgium	19.6
5	Sweden	19.4
	...
35	Saudi Arabia	16.1
36	Israel	16.1
37	Tonga	16.0
38	Poland	16.0
39	Austria	16.0
40	Estonia	15.9
	Europe Avg	16.1
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours (2017)₃₅
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₅
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
4	Denmark	4
5	UK	5
	...
20	Australia	20
21	Germany	21
22	Grenada	22
23	Poland	23
24	France	24
25	S. Africa	25
	Europe Avg	31.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Maths, Science & Reading (2015)₄₅
Pos.		Higher is better Score₄₅
1	Singapore	1655
2	Hong Kong	1598
3	Japan	1586
4	Macau	1582
5	Estonia	1573
	...
16	New Zealand	1517
17	Norway	1513
18	Denmark	1513
19	Poland	1511
20	Belgium	1508
21	Vietnam	1507
	Europe Avg	1417
	World Avg	1389
q=70.

Religiosity (2018)₄₆
Pos.		Lower is better %₄₆
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
4	Switzerland	9
5	Denmark	9
	...
32	Canada	27
33	Uzbekistan	29
34	Uruguay	29
35	Poland	30
36	Serbia	34
37	Israel	36
	Europe Avg	25.8
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ (2006)₄₇
Pos.		Higher is better₄₇
1	Hong Kong	108
2	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
4	Japan	105
5	Taiwan	105
	...
13	Austria	100
14	UK	100
15	New Zealand	99
16	Poland	99
17	Germany	99
18	Finland	99
	Europe Avg	96.6
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users (2016)₄₈
Pos.		Higher is better₄₈
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
4	Bermuda	97%
5	Andorra	97%
	...
48	Macau	73%
49	Israel	73%
50	Guam	73%
51	Poland	72%
52	Brunei	72%
53	Slovenia	72%
	Europe Avg	76.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IT Security (2013)₄₉
Pos.		Lower is better₄₉
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
4	Hong Kong	0.12
5	Mexico	0.16
	...
18	Sweden	0.44
19	Romania	0.52
20	Turkey	0.52
21	Poland	0.55
22	Switzerland	0.55
23	S. Korea	0.56
	Europe Avg	0.80
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

IPv6 Uptake (2017)₅₀
Pos.		Higher is better Ratio₅₀
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
4	USA	35.0
5	Greece	33.5
	...
34	Macau	4.2
35	Singapore	4.0
36	Sweden	3.8
37	Poland	3.6
38	Thailand	3.3
39	Denmark	3.1
	Europe Avg	8.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

7. National Culture

#charity #corruption #happiness #morals #politics

Poland has an adequate long-term record on corruption, but in the ten years from 2012 perceptions have gotten worse.

World Giving Index (2013-2021)₅₁
Pos.		Lower is better₅₁
1	Myanmar (Burma)	2.7
2	New Zealand	4.0
3	USA	4.7
4	Australia	4.9
5	Indonesia	9.0
	...
109	Macedonia	89.6
110	Burkina Faso	90.5
111	Bosnia & Herzegovina	91.0
112	Poland	91.4
113	Algeria	92.3
114	Moldova	92.7
	Europe Avg	75.2
	World Avg	67.9
q=160.

Corruption (2022)₅₂
Pos.		Higher is better Points₅₂
1	Denmark	90.0
2	Finland	87.0
3	New Zealand	87.0
4	Norway	84.0
5	Singapore	83.0
	...
43	Italy	56.0
44	Slovenia	56.0
45	Dominica	55.0
46	Poland	55.0
47	St Lucia	55.0
48	Costa Rica	54.0
	Europe Avg	57.61
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness (2018)₅₃
Pos.		Higher is better₅₃
1	Finland	7.6
2	Norway	7.6
3	Denmark	7.6
4	Iceland	7.5
5	Switzerland	7.5
	...
39	Slovakia	6.2
40	El Salvador	6.2
41	Nicaragua	6.1
42	Poland	6.1
43	Bahrain	6.1
44	Uzbekistan	6.1
	Europe Avg	6.06
	World Avg	5.38
q=156.

Creativity and Culture (2017)₃₅
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₅
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
4	Switzerland	4
5	Sweden	5
	...
18	Barbados	18
19	Hungary	19
20	Slovakia	20
21	Poland	21
22	Norway	22
23	Lithuania	23
	Europe Avg	35.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid and Development (2017)₃₅
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₅
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
4	Netherlands	4
5	Switzerland	5
	...
43	Morocco	43
44	Fiji	44
45	Bosnia & Herzegovina	45
46	Poland	46
47	Japan	47
48	Armenia	48
	Europe Avg	42.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index (2021)₅₄
Pos.		Lower is better₅₄
1	Iceland	1.10
2	New Zealand	1.25
3	Denmark	1.26
4	Portugal	1.27
5	Slovenia	1.32
	...
21	Netherlands	1.51
22	Bhutan	1.51
23	Malaysia	1.52
24	Poland	1.52
25	Romania	1.53
26	Slovakia	1.56
	Europe Avg	1.69
	World Avg	2.08
q=163.

Peacekeeping and Security (2017)₃₅
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₅
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
4	Egypt	4
5	Nigeria	5
	...
104	Latvia	104
105	Laos	105
106	Mozambique	106
107	Poland	107
108	Ukraine	108
109	Belgium	109
	Europe Avg	84.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees and UN Treaties (2017)₃₅
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₅
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
4	Sweden	4
5	Malta	5
	...
21	Ireland	21
22	Costa Rica	22
23	Thailand	23
24	Poland	24
25	S. Africa	25
26	Chile	26
	Europe Avg	37.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism (2019)₅₅
Pos.		Lower is better Score₅₅
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
4	Equatorial Guinea	0.00
5	Cambodia	0.00
	...
42	Lithuania	0.46
43	Sierra Leone	0.46
44	Jamaica	0.47
45	Poland	0.48
46	Gabon	0.55
47	Malawi	0.66
	Europe Avg	1.62
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

9. The Natural Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #over-exploitation #the_environment

Forest Area Change 1990-2015 (2015)₅₆
Pos.		Higher is better %₅₆
1	Iceland	+205.6
2	Bahrain	+144.4
3	Uruguay	+131.3
4	Kuwait	+81.2
5	Dominican Rep.	+79.5
	...
51	Cyprus	+07.2
52	Fiji	+06.7
53	Laos	+06.3
54	Poland	+06.3
55	Liechtenstein	+06.2
56	Latvia	+05.8
	Europe Avg	+15.0
	World Avg	+02.8
q=184.

Environmental Performance (2018)₅₇
Pos.		Higher is better₅₇
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
4	Malta	80.9
5	Sweden	80.5
	...
47	Uruguay	64.7
48	Estonia	64.3
49	Singapore	64.2
50	Poland	64.1
51	Venezuela	63.9
52	Russia	63.8
	Europe Avg	69.6
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency (2014)₅₈
Pos.		Higher is better₅₈
1	Hong Kong	26.32
2	Sri Lanka	20.00
3	Panama	17.86
4	Colombia	17.54
5	Ireland	17.54
	...
52	Lebanon	09.90
53	Hungary	09.80
54	Latvia	09.80
55	Poland	09.71
56	Argentina	09.35
57	Pakistan	09.26
	Europe Avg	09.80
	World Avg	09.29
q=119.

Convention on Biological Diversity
Pos.		Earlier is better Signed
1	China	1993 Dec 29
2	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
3	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
4	Vanuatu	1993 Dec 29
5	Papua New Guinea	1993 Dec 29
	...
137	Singapore	1996 Mar 20
138	Syria	1996 Apr 03
139	Suriname	1996 Apr 11
140	Poland	1996 Apr 17
141	Lithuania	1996 May 01
142	Yemen	1996 May 21
	Europe Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment (2011)₅₉
Pos.		Higher is better %₅₉
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
4	Trinidad & Tobago	74.5%
5	Costa Rica	74.2%
	...
112	Iraq	24.9%
113	Sweden	24.3%
114	New Zealand	24.2%
115	Poland	23.8%
116	Belarus	23.7%
117	Afghanistan	23.6%
	Europe Avg	33.6%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy (2019)₆₀
Pos.		Higher is worse₆₀
184	Chad	40.90
183	Central African Rep.	40.10
182	Sierra Leone	39.00
181	Somalia	38.90
180	Nigeria	37.10
	...
35	Canada	4.60
34	Belarus	4.40
33	New Zealand	4.30
32	Poland	4.30
31	Croatia	4.30
30	Hungary	4.20
	Europe Avg	4.86
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) (2017)₆₁
Pos.		Lower is better %₆₁
1	Ukraine	25.0
2	Belarus	25.4
3	Slovenia	25.4
4	Czechia	25.9
5	Moldova	25.9
	...
22	Hungary	30.4
23	Austria	30.5
24	Sao Tome & Principe	30.8
25	Poland	30.8
26	Croatia	31.1
27	S. Korea	31.6
	Europe Avg	31.5
	World Avg	38.1
q=152.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#afterlife #belief #buddhism #christianity #god #heaven #hell #hinduism #islam #judaism #poland #RCC #religion #religiosity #secularisation #universalism

Religiosity (2018)₄₆
Pos.		Lower is better %₄₆
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
4	Switzerland	9
5	Denmark	9
	...
32	Canada	27
33	Uzbekistan	29
34	Uruguay	29
35	Poland	30
36	Serbia	34
37	Israel	36
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Disbelief In God (2007)₆₂
Pos.		Higher is better %₆₂
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
4	Czechia	61
5	Estonia	49
	...
61	Uzbekistan	4
62	Lebanon	3
63	Congo, (Brazzaville)	3
64	Poland	3
65	Jamaica	3
66	India	3
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₆₃:

Christian	94.3%
Muslim	0.1%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jew	0.1%
Unaffiliated	5.6%

It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 94.8% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 30% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".

For more on this phenomenon, see:

"Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Roman Catholic 89.8% [about 75% practicing], Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)₆₄.

The Afterlife: Ipsos-NA in 2011 gathered some statistics on Poland₆₅. Despite the large numbers of Christians, not many have traditional beliefs in the afterlife - just 20%. More people don't know what to believe (32%). Some believe that upon death, you simply cease to exist (21%). Also, 1% specifically believe in heaven but not in hell (which is nice - making them possible "universalists"). 7% believe in reincarnation.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₆₆, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Poland states:

“The constitution and other laws and policies protect freedom of religion or belief. However, Poland's penal code states "Whoever offends religious feelings of other people by publicly insulting an object of religious cult or a place for public holding of religious ceremonies, is subject to a fine, restriction of liberty or loss of liberty for up to 2 years."
Cases of Discrimination
[...]
In January 2012, Dorota Rabczewska, a popular musician better known as Doda, was fined US $1,450 for "offending religious feelings" when she said in an interview that the Bible is full of "unbelievable tales" and that "it's hard to believe in something written down by someone drunk on wine and smoking some kind of herbs."
In October 2012, Poland's Supreme Court opened the way for a blasphemy verdict against another musician, Adam Darksi. Darski, who uses the stage name Nergal, is the lead singer of a heavy metal group named Behemoth. During a concert in 2007 Darski ripped up a Bible and called it deceitful and described the Roman Catholic Church as "a criminal sect". He was tried for "offending religious feelings". A lower court dismissed the charges, but the Supreme Court was then asked to rule on the legal arguments arising from the case. The Supreme Court ruled that Darski could be convicted of the crime of "offending religious feelings" even if he did not act with the "direct intention" of offending those feelings. That interpretation closed off an argument used by lawyers for Darski, who said he had not committed a crime because he did not intend to offend anyone. The case therefore returns to a lower court. If found guilty, Darski faces a maximum sentence of two years in jail, under Poland's criminal code.
”
"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₆₇

Once, Poland was known for its long series of atrocities against Jews, especially during the Holocaust of the 1940s but in modern times there is now (thankfully) "a significant renascence of Jewish culture" in Poland₆₈.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: The Roman Catholic Church has an established position in Poland which is counter to what is expected of a modern democracy, and it has influenced and steered public discourse to a place of increasingly hardline intolerance of those typical things that the Catholic Church fought against in the dark ages: women's rights and tolerance of LGBT folk₆₉.

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