Poland (Republic of Poland)

Poland Republic of Poland
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	38th best
Capital	Warsaw
Land Area	304 150km21
Location	Europe
Population	38.3m (2011)2
Life Expectancy	77.62yrs (2017)3
GNI	$24 117 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	PL, POL, 6165
Internet Domain	.pl6
Currency	Zloty (PLN)7
Telephone	+488

1. Overview
2. Poland National and Social Development
3. Population and Demographics
4. Gender Equality
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. The Internet
7. Public Health Issues
8. Politics and Freedom
9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries
10. Links

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1. Overview

“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

UN HDI (2016) Lower is better Rank11
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
	...
33	Malta	33
34	Qatar	33
35	Cyprus	33
36	Poland	36
37	Lithuania	37
38	Chile	38
39	Saudi Arabia	38
40	Slovakia	40
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Social & Moral Development Index Higher is better Points12
1	Iceland	84.1
2	Sweden	80.8
3	Norway	80.0
	...
35	Malta	64.5
36	Chile	64.0
37	Hungary	63.4
38	Poland	63.0
39	Bahamas	62.9
40	Lithuania	62.9
41	Brunei	62.9
42	Slovakia	62.7
	World Avg	54.5
q=198.

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: What is the Best Country in the World? An Index of Morality, Conscience and Good Life.

3. Population and Demographics

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016) Lower is better Per 10013
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
	...
157	Lithuania	36.0
158	Czech Rep.	36.1
159	Cuba	36.2
160	Poland	36.3
161	Singapore	36.5
162	Latvia	36.7
163	Sweden	37.0
164	Bulgaria	37.0
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Emigrants (2010) %14
1	Dominica	104.8
2	Palestine	68.4
3	Samoa	67.3
	...
76	Somalia	8.7
77	Kuwait	8.5
78	Ecuador	8.3
79	Poland	8.3
80	Afghanistan	8.1
81	Paraguay	7.9
82	Russia	7.9
83	Mali	7.6
	World Avg	11.5
q=192.

Fertility Rate (2013) 2.0 is best15
1	Korea, N.	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
97	Hungary	1.42
98	Romania	1.42
99	Japan	1.40
100	Poland	1.40
101	Nepal	2.60
102	Macedonia	1.40
103	Fiji	2.61
104	Korea, S.	1.38
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Immigrants (2010) %14
1	Qatar	86.5
2	Monaco	71.6
3	UAE	70.0
	...
117	Liberia	2.3
118	Pakistan	2.3
119	Cambodia	2.2
120	Poland	2.2
121	Fiji	2.2
122	Yemen	2.1
123	Kenya	2.0
124	Kiribati	2.0
	World Avg	9.2
q=192.

Life Expectancy (2015) Higher is better Years16
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
	...
40	Albania	77.97
41	Dominica	77.85
42	Panama	77.76
43	Poland	77.62
44	Croatia	77.50
45	Uruguay	77.35
46	UAE	77.12
47	Estonia	77.01
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Population (2012)17
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.3b
3	USA	315.8m
	...
30	Ukraine	44.9m
31	Kenya	42.7m
32	Argentina	41.1m
33	Poland	38.3m
34	Algeria	36.5m
35	Uganda	35.6m
36	Sudan	35.0m
37	Canada	34.7m
	World Avg	36.0m
q=195.

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 incresingly 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.

• The Overpopulation of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception: How Religion is Making Overpopulation Worse

4. Gender Equality

Gender Inequality (2015) Lower is better18
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
27	Czech Rep.	0.13
28	UK	0.13
29	Estonia	0.13
30	Poland	0.14
31	Croatia	0.14
32	Belarus	0.14
33	Montenegro	0.16
34	New Zealand	0.16
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better Year19
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
16	Ukraine	1919
17	Luxembourg	1919
18	Czech Rep.	1919
19	Poland	1919
20	Canada	1920
21	USA	1920
22	Albania	1920
23	Lithuania	1921
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchialism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

Poland is on the way towards ending gender inequality and has been striving towards this end for quite some time.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

5. Religion and Beliefs

#afterlife #buddhism #christianity #heaven #hell #hinduism #islam #judaism #universalism

Religiosity (2009) Lower is better %20
1	Estonia	16
2	Sweden	17
3	Denmark	19
	...
39	Kyrgyzstan	72
40	Armenia	73
41	Mexico	73
42	Poland	75
43	Cyprus	75
44	Macedonia	76
45	Bosnia & Herzegovina	77
46	Venezuela	79
	World Avg	75.1
q=114.

Disbelief In God (2007) Higher is better21
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
61	Uzbekistan	4
62	Lebanon	3
63	Congo, (Brazzaville)	3
64	Poland	3
65	Jamaica	3
66	India	3
67	Angola	2
68	Chile	2
	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 below₂₂:

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 75% 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)₂₃.

The Afterlife: Ipsos-NA in 2011 gathered some statistics on Poland₂₄. 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), 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)₂₅

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

6. The Internet

Internet Users (2016) Higher is better26
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
48	Macau	73%
49	Israel	73%
50	Guam	73%
51	Poland	72%
52	Brunei	72%
53	Slovenia	72%
54	Cyprus	72%
55	Russia	71%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake (2017) Higher is better Ratio27
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
34	Macau	4.2
35	Singapore	4.0
36	Sweden	3.8
37	Poland	3.6
38	Thailand	3.3
39	Denmark	3.1
40	Bosnia & Herzegovina	3.1
41	Sri Lanka	2.9
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

IT Security (2013) Lower is better28
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
	...
18	Sweden	0.44
19	Romania	0.52
20	Turkey	0.52
21	Poland	0.55
22	Switzerland	0.55
23	Korea, S.	0.56
24	Australia	0.63
25	Libya	0.63
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

Internet access has become an essential research tool. It facilitates an endless list of life improvements, from the ability to network and socialize without constraint, to access to a seemingly infinite repository of technical and procedural information on pretty much any task. The universal availability of data has sped up industrial development and personal learning at the national and personal level. Individuals can read any topic they wish regardless of the locality of expert teachers, and, entire nations can develop their technology and understanding of the world simply because they are now exposed to advanced societies and moral discourses online. Like every communications medium, the Internet has issues and causes a small range of problems, but these are insignificant compared to the advantages of having an online populace.

7. Public Health Issues

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015) Lower is better Per 100018
1	Korea, N.	0.5
2	Korea, S.	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
	...
40	Montenegro	12.2
41	Lebanon	12.4
42	Estonia	13.1
43	Poland	13.4
44	Bahrain	13.5
45	Malaysia	13.6
46	Latvia	13.6
47	Australia	14.1
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Alcohol Consumption (2010) Lower is better Per Capita29
1	Libya	0.1
2	Pakistan	0.1
3	Kuwait	0.1
	...
175	Korea, S.	12.3
176	Latvia	12.3
177	Finland	12.3
178	Poland	12.5
179	Grenada	12.5
180	Serbia	12.6
181	Portugal	12.9
182	Slovakia	13.0
	World Avg	6.2
q=191.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015) Higher is better Avg %30
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
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
45	Bahamas	96.2
46	Maldives	96.2
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Smoking Rates (2014) Lower is better31
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
145	Cuba	1 392
146	Saudi Arabia	1 395
147	Netherlands	1 396
148	Poland	1 396
149	Italy	1 443
150	Germany	1 480
151	Bulgaria	1 505
152	Kuwait	1 517
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate (2013) Lower is better Per 100k32
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
67	Czech Rep.	28.3
68	Suriname	28.7
69	Hong Kong	29.7
70	Poland	30.5
71	Austria	30.9
72	Uruguay	32.3
73	France	33.2
74	Moldova	35.7
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

8. Politics and Freedom

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009) Higher is better Treaties33
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
	...
44	Burkina Faso	20
45	Norway	20
46	Portugal	20
47	Poland	20
48	Korea, S.	20
49	Panama	20
50	New Zealand	20
51	Uganda	19
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom (2014) Lower is better Rank34
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
19	Portugal	19
20	Lithuania	20
21	Estonia	21
22	Poland	21
23	USA	23
24	Latvia	24
25	Iceland	25
26	Taiwan	26
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom (2013) Lower is better35
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
19	Namibia	1250
20	Canada	1269
21	Belgium	1294
22	Poland	1311
23	Slovakia	1325
24	Cyprus	1383
25	Cape Verde	1433
26	Australia	1524
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries