Poland (Republic of Poland)

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

By Vexen Crabtree 2026

Poland Republic of Poland
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	30th 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
	...
31	Estonia	0.890
32	Czechia	0.889
33	Greece	0.887
34	Poland	0.876
35=	Saudi Arabia	0.875
35=	Bahrain	0.875
35=	Lithuania	0.875
38	Portugal	0.866
	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
	...
39	Estonia	$38 048
40	Lithuania	$37 931
41	Portugal	$33 155
42	Poland	$33 034
43	Latvia	$32 803
44	Hungary	$32 789
45	Turkey	$31 033
46	Slovakia	$30 690
	Europe Avg	$40 512
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₂
1	Denmark	27.2
2	Norway	29.2
3	Sweden	30.2
	...
27	Czechia	50.5
28	Cyprus	53.1
29	Hungary	53.7
30	Poland	54.5
31	Singapore	54.6
32	Uruguay	55.0
33	Malta	55.1
34	Slovakia	55.6
	Europe Avg	57.3
	World Avg	89.2
q=200.

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 #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

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 1.26. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - 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 (two new children for each set of parents who die), 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, once you take mortality into account₁₃. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population₂
Pos.		2018 Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
34	Algeria	42.2m
35	Sudan	41.8m
36	Iraq	38.4m
37	Poland	37.9m
38	Afghanistan	37.2m
39	Canada	37.1m
40	Morocco	36.0m
41	Saudi Arabia	33.7m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₁
Pos.		2021 Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
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
54	Montenegro	76.3
55	Panama	76.2
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored per decade 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
126	Philippines	2.73
127	Lithuania	1.27
128	Ukraine	1.27
129	Poland	1.26
130	Japan	1.26
131	Botswana	2.75
132	Djibouti	2.76
133	Italy	1.24
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored per decade 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better₁₆
Pos.		2016 Per 100₁₆
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
157	Lithuania	36.0
158	Czechia	36.1
159	Cuba	36.2
160	Poland	36.3
161	Singapore	36.5
162	Latvia	36.7
163=	Sweden	37.0
163=	Bulgaria	37.0
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants₁₇
Pos.		2017 %₁₇
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
135	Albania	1.8%
136	Pakistan	1.7%
137	Nepal	1.7%
138	Poland	1.7%
139	Senegal	1.7%
140	Comoros	1.5%
141	Fiji	1.5%
142	Ghana	1.4%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants₁₈
Pos.		2010 %₁₈
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.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

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

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉
1	Sweden	7.5
2	Netherlands	8.6
3	Denmark	9.0
	...
28	Taiwan	42.2
29	S. Korea	45.2
30	Slovakia	47.1
31	Poland	47.8
32	USA	48.3
33	Argentina	48.4
	Europe Avg	52.39
	World Avg	90.04
q=198.

Poland does relatively well in ensuring human rights and freedom, compared to many other countries. Poland does better than average in commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₀ (but low for Europe), the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₂₁ (but high for Europe), its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₂, opposing gender inequality₂₃, supporting press freedom₂₄, its average Freedom in the World rating and in LGBT equality in the 2020s₂₅. Poland does not succeed in everything, however. Poland does worse than average in terms of its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₆ (one of the worst in Europe), combatting modern slavery₂₇ and in freethought₂₈. Human Rights Watch sounded warnings that in 2017 Poland "continued to undermine the rule of law and human rights protection during the year"₂₉. Poland is Europe's most Catholic country and has the region's most restrictive abortion laws in Europe₃₀ but in 2017 made access to emergency contraception even more limited₃₀, 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

#health

Compared to Europe (2025)₃₁
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₁
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	San Marino	42.3
	...
24	Germany	68.6
25	Ireland	68.9
26	Albania	71.0
27	Poland	71.1
28	Malta	71.3
29	Hungary	72.0
30	Slovakia	72.8
31	Montenegro	73.5
32	Croatia	76.3
	Europe Avg	68.59
q=48.

Health (2025)₃₁
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₁
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	40.8
	...
46	St Martin	70.9
47	Albania	71.0
48	Bahrain	71.0
49	Poland	71.1
50	Malta	71.3
51	Hungary	72.0
52	Mauritius	72.2
53	Greenland	72.3
	World Avg	97.39
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₂. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₂.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on 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, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₂, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Melanesia₃₂.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#2010s #alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #poland #smoking #suicide

Poland has some poor policies and cultural issues which cause some public health problems. Poland does better than average for childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₃, its adolescent birth rate₃₄, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₃₅, its average life expectancy₁₁ (but bad for Europe), delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₆ and in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₇ (but bad for Europe). But, things still need to improve in Poland. Poland does worse than average in its smoking rate₃₈, its fertility rate₁₅ (one of the highest in Europe), the prevalence of overweight adults₃₉ and in its suicide rate₄₀. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 when it comes to its alcohol consumption rate₄₁. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Poland improved by +7.2yrs in the 30 years from 1990, on par with the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. Poland's peak fertility rate was 2.98 in 1960.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₁
Pos.		2021 Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
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
54	Montenegro	76.3
55	Panama	76.2
	Europe Avg	78.36
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored per decade 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better₄₁
Pos.		2016 Per Capita₄₁
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
170=	Switzerland	11.5
171=	Austria	11.6
171=	Estonia	11.6
171=	Poland	11.6
174	Russia	11.7
175	Seychelles	12.0
176	Belgium	12.1
177	Portugal	12.3
	Europe Avg	10.3
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
126	Philippines	2.73
127	Lithuania	1.27
128	Ukraine	1.27
129	Poland	1.26
130	Japan	1.26
131	Botswana	2.75
132	Djibouti	2.76
133	Italy	1.24
	Europe Avg	1.53
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored per decade 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		Smoking in the 2020s %₃₈
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
106	Afghanistan	22.7%
107	Luxembourg	23.0%
108	China	23.4%
109	Poland	23.6%
110	Argentina	23.8%
111	India	24.4%
112	USA	24.4%
113	Lesotho	24.5%
	Europe Avg	27.0%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored per decade 2000s-2020s.

Suicide Rate in the 2010s Lower is better₄₀
Pos.		Suicide Rate in the 2010s Per 100k₄₀
1=	Jordan	1.00
1=	Sao Tome & Principe	1.00
1=	Antigua & Barbuda	1.00
	...
156	Austria	15.88
157	Sri Lanka	16.01
158	Finland	16.11
159=	Poland	16.13
159=	France	16.13
161	Vanuatu	16.58
162	Croatia	16.67
163	Estonia	17.28
	Europe Avg	12.94
	World Avg	9.24
q=185. Also scored per decade 2000s-2010s.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better₃₇
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₇
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
76	Malta	76
77	Guatemala	77
78	Sri Lanka	78
79	Poland	79
80	Uruguay	80
81	Dominican Rep.	81
82	Zambia	82
83	Croatia	83
	Europe Avg	47.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better₃₉
Pos.		1976 %₃₉
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
155=	UK	40.6
155=	Iceland	40.6
155=	Canada	40.6
158	Poland	40.8
159	Jordan	41.0
160=	Lebanon	41.2
160=	Greece	41.2
162	Bulgaria	41.4
	Europe Avg	38.2
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better₄₂
Pos.		2022 %₄₂
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
142	Lithuania	31.1%
143	Syria	31.2%
144	Czechia	31.3%
145	Poland	31.4%
146	Dominica	31.5%
147	UAE	31.5%
148	Australia	31.8%
149	Costa Rica	32.0%
	Europe Avg	25.9%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored per decade 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better₃₄
Pos.		2022 Per 1000₃₄
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
38	Greece	8.3
39	Bahrain	8.7
40	Malaysia	9.1
41	Poland	9.2
42	Czechia	9.4
43	Bosnia & Herzegovina	9.4
44	France	9.4
45	Brunei	9.5
	Europe Avg	11.4
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored per decade 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better₃₆
Pos.		Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Avg %₃₆
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
58=	Cyprus	96.7
59=	Switzerland	96.6
59=	Egypt	96.6
59=	Poland	96.6
62=	Sweden	96.5
62=	Mongolia	96.5
64	St Vincent & Grenadines	96.4
65=	Uzbekistan	96.3
	Europe Avg	93.2
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored per decade 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better₃₅
Pos.		2015 Avg %₃₅
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
39=	Jordan	96.6
39=	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
	Europe Avg	92.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better₃₃
Pos.		Infant Mortality (2020s) Per 1000₃₃
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
32	UK	4.62
33	Lithuania	4.97
34	Croatia	5.02
35	Poland	5.05
36	Hungary	5.12
37	Canada	5.40
38	Latvia	5.56
39	New Zealand	5.66
	Europe Avg	6.30
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored per decade 1960s-2020s.

6. Responsibility Towards The Environment

#climate_change #energy #Poland #poland_and_the_environment #Poland_environment #sustainability #the_environment

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)₄₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₃
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
91	Algeria	79.7
92	Nicaragua	80.5
93	Slovakia	80.8
94	Poland	81.0
95	UAE	81.8
96	Bolivia	81.8
	Europe Avg	82.54
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

In terms of its responsibility towards the environment, Poland is 94th in the world. This rank is computed using 21 data sets. Poland does better than average in its score on the Green Future Index₄₄ (but low for Europe), its environmental performance₄₅ (but bad for Europe), its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₆ and in energy to GDP efficiency₄₇. But, things still need to improve in Poland. Poland does worse than average in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₈. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₉ (one of the highest in Europe).

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Poland's Responsibility Towards The Environment

7. Poland's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Europe (2025)₅₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₅₀
1	Finland	6.1
2	Iceland	8.1
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
16	Hungary	23.4
17	Slovenia	24.8
18	Portugal	25.5
19	Poland	26.2
20	Italy	27.5
21	Monaco	30.0
22	Slovakia	30.0
23	Latvia	30.1
24	Liechtenstein	31.7
	Europe Avg	34.74
q=48.

Modernity & Learning (2025)₅₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₅₀
1	Finland	6.1
2	Iceland	8.1
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
19	Slovenia	24.8
20	Taiwan	25.4
21	Portugal	25.5
22	Poland	26.2
23	Australia	26.8
24	Japan	27.4
25	Italy	27.5
26	Hong Kong	27.8
	World Avg	84.96
q=197.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Iceland and Denmark₅₁. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₅₁. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₅₂.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)₅₃

27 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₅₁, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₅₁.

For more, see:

" Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#intelligence #metric #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.29₅₄
2	Israel	4.11₅₄
3	Japan	3.58₅₄
	...
33	Malaysia	1.13₅₅
34	Turkey	1.01₅₄
35	Lithuania	0.95₅₆
36	Poland	0.94₅₄
37=	Slovakia	0.89₅₄
37=	Malta	0.89₅₆
39	Greece	0.84₅₄
40	India	0.82₅₇
	Europe Avg	1.32
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better₃₇
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₇
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
20	Australia	20
21	Germany	21
22	Grenada	22
23	Poland	23
24	France	24
25	S. Africa	25
26	Singapore	26
27	Greece	27
	Europe Avg	31.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better₅₈
Pos.		2025 %₅₈
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
1=	Romania	100
1=	Finland	100
1=	San Marino	100
1=	Iceland	100
1=	Belgium	100
1=	Liechtenstein	100
1=	Austria	100
1=	France	100
1=	Australia	100
	Europe Avg	97
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored per decade 1960s-2020s.

Poland officially adopted metric in 1918₅₉. Progression:

1960 (100%): Fully metric in official and daily life.
1970 (100%).
1980 (100%).
2000 (100%).
2025 (100%).

Religiosity Lower is better₆₀
Pos.		2018 %₆₀
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
32	Canada	27
33=	Uzbekistan	29
33=	Uruguay	29
35	Poland	30
36	Serbia	34
37=	Israel	36
37=	Portugal	36
39	Azerbaijan	38
	Europe Avg	25.8
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ Higher is better₆₁
Pos.		2006₆₁
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
13=	Austria	100
13=	UK	100
15=	New Zealand	99
15=	Poland	99
15=	Germany	99
15=	Finland	99
15=	Estonia	99
15=	Sweden	99
	Europe Avg	96.6
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

7.2. Education Datasets

#education #english #maths #poland #science

Secondary Education Higher is better₆₂
Pos.		2018₆₂
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	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%
54	Jordan	84.0%
55	France	83.5%
	Europe Avg	88.3%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better₆₃
Pos.		2021 Years₆₃
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
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
41	Thailand	15.9
42	France	15.8
	Europe Avg	16.1
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored per decade 1990s-2010s.

Maths, Science & Reading Higher is better₆₄
Pos.		2015 Score₆₄
1	Singapore	1655
2	Hong Kong	1598
3	Japan	1586
	...
16	New Zealand	1517
17=	Norway	1513
17=	Denmark	1513
19	Poland	1511
20	Belgium	1508
21=	Vietnam	1507
21=	Australia	1507
23	UK	1499
	Europe Avg	1417
	World Avg	1389
q=70.

Communist-era Poland saw religious education removed from schools, but, since 1989, the restored its presence₆₅ and now, Poland's educational system is awfully biased towards Catholic instruction and norms. Even though the Catholic Church benefits and sets the content, it is funded by the state. The state also pays for religious teachers, and despite that, they must be first approved by the - it gets to veto any teachers who might not obey Catholic norms.

Although there is a right to request more secular options such as ethics, and this should in fact be the default, in practical reality it is rarely available.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#it_security #modernity #politics #technology #the_internet

Internet Users (2020s) Higher is better
Pos.		Internet Users (2020s)
1=	Iceland	99%
1=	Kuwait	99%
1=	UAE	99%
	...
55	France	86%
56	Thailand	86%
57	Japan	86%
58	Poland	86%
59	Romania	86%
60	Montenegro	85%
61	Dominican Rep.	85%
62	Czechia	84%
	Europe Avg	88.3%
	World Avg	67.8%
q=188. Also scored per decade 1990s-2020s.

IT Security Lower is better₆₆
Pos.		2013₆₆
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
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
24	Australia	0.63
25	Libya	0.63
	Europe Avg	0.80
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better₆₇
Pos.		2017 Ratio₆₇
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
	Europe Avg	8.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better₆₈
Pos.		2024₆₈
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
17	USA	67.5%
18	Bulgaria	66.3%
19	Belgium	66.1%
20=	Poland	66.0%
20=	S. Korea	66.0%
22	Ireland	65.9%
23	Israel	65.4%
24	Norway	64.5%
	Europe Avg	61.0%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Poland's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#charitability #culture #equality #human_development #inequality #peace

Compared to Europe (2025)₆₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₆₉
1	Denmark	10.4
2	Netherlands	11.8
3	Finland	12.2
	...
20	Hungary	38.3
21	Italy	39.3
22	Cyprus	40.0
23	Poland	41.2
24	Estonia	41.4
25	Slovakia	43.0
26	Croatia	51.6
27	Latvia	52.2
28	Lithuania	52.9
	Europe Avg	46.24
q=44.

Culture, Peace & Inequality (2025)₆₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₆₉
1	Denmark	10.4
2	Netherlands	11.8
3	Finland	12.2
	...
27	Italy	39.3
28	Cyprus	40.0
29	USA	40.1
30	Poland	41.2
31	Estonia	41.4
32	S. Korea	42.3
33	Slovakia	43.0
34	Taiwan	45.2
	World Avg	80.47
q=183.

This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 39 datasets, including multiple decades of data on resisting corruption, Creativity and Culture, overall happiness, Open Trading, Aid and Development, passport utility (so far), personal financial stability, World Giving Index, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, poverty (so far), life expectancy inequality, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.

For more, see:

"Which are the Countries for International Contributions, Creativity, Peace and Inequality?" by Vexen Crabtree (2026).

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#charity #corruption #freedom #happiness #internationalism #morals #politics

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

Corruption Higher is better₇₀
Pos.		2022 Points₇₀
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
43=	Italy	56.0
43=	Slovenia	56.0
45=	Dominica	55.0
45=	Poland	55.0
45=	St Lucia	55.0
48	Costa Rica	54.0
49=	Fiji	53.0
49=	Slovakia	53.0
	Europe Avg	57.61
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored per decade 1990s-2010s.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better₃₇
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₇
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
18	Barbados	18
19	Hungary	19
20	Slovakia	20
21	Poland	21
22	Norway	22
23	Lithuania	23
24	St Lucia	24
25	Canada	25
	Europe Avg	35.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Happiness Higher is better₇₁
Pos.		2024 Score₇₁
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
23	UK	6.7
24	USA	6.7
25	Belize	6.7
26	Poland	6.7
27	Taiwan	6.7
28	Uruguay	6.7
29	Kosovo	6.7
30	Kuwait	6.6
	Europe Avg	6.37
	World Avg	5.58
q=147. Also scored per decade 2010s.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better₃₇
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₇
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
43	Morocco	43
44	Fiji	44
45	Bosnia & Herzegovina	45
46	Poland	46
47	Japan	47
48	Armenia	48
49	UAE	49
50	Greece	50
	Europe Avg	42.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better₇₂
Pos.		Passport Reach (2020s) Q₇₂
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
25=	USA	185.7
26	Canada	185.2
27	Hungary	184.3
28	Poland	184.0
29	Lithuania	183.0
30	Slovakia	182.8
31=	Latvia	182.2
31=	Slovenia	182.2
	Europe Avg	160.7
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored per decade 2000s-2020s.

Personal Financial Stability in the 2020s Higher is better₇₃
Pos.		Personal Financial Stability in the 2020s Score₇₃
1	Denmark	9.06
2	Switzerland	9.00
3	Finland	8.96
	...
65	Trinidad & Tobago	6.95
66	Mongolia	6.93
67	Oman	6.91
68	Poland	6.90
69	Philippines	6.85
70	Bahrain	6.85
71	Rwanda	6.85
72	Guatemala	6.85
	Europe Avg	7.65
	World Avg	6.46
q=165. Also scored per decade 1970s-2020s.

World Giving Index Higher is better₇₄
Pos.		2022 %₇₄
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
18=	UAE	47.0
18=	Philippines	47.0
18=	Argentina	47.0
18=	Poland	47.0
22=	Serbia	46.0
22=	Netherlands	46.0
22=	Jamaica	46.0
22=	Russia	46.0
	Europe Avg	39.0
	World Avg	39.6
q=125. Also scored per decade 2010s.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

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

Global Peace Index Lower is better₇₅
Pos.		2023 Score₇₅
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
26	Slovakia	1.58
27	Latvia	1.58
28	Sweden	1.63
29	Poland	1.63
30	Bulgaria	1.64
31=	Spain	1.65
31=	Romania	1.65
31=	Taiwan	1.65
	Europe Avg	1.70
	World Avg	2.07
q=163. Also scored per decade 2010s.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better₃₇
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₇
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
104	Latvia	104
105	Laos	105
106	Mozambique	106
107	Poland	107
108	Ukraine	108
109	Belgium	109
110	Panama	110
111	Equatorial Guinea	111
	Europe Avg	84.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better₃₇
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₇
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
21	Ireland	21
22	Costa Rica	22
23	Thailand	23
24	Poland	24
25	S. Africa	25
26	Chile	26
27	Panama	27
28	Portugal	28
	Europe Avg	37.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better₇₆
Pos.		2019 Score₇₆
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
42=	Lithuania	0.46
42=	Sierra Leone	0.46
44	Jamaica	0.47
45	Poland	0.48
46	Gabon	0.55
47	Malawi	0.66
48	Azerbaijan	0.70
49	Czechia	0.87
	Europe Avg	1.62
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poland #poverty #social_development

Poverty (2020s) Lower is better₇₇
Pos.		Poverty (2020s) %₇₇
1	Malaysia	0.01%
2	Bhutan	0.01%
3	Cyprus	0.02%
	...
16	Ireland	0.15%
17	Uruguay	0.20%
18	Malta	0.21%
19	Poland	0.22%
20	Denmark	0.23%
21	Norway	0.24%
22	Germany	0.24%
23	S. Korea	0.25%
	Europe Avg	1.20%
	World Avg	11.40%
q=106. Also scored per decade 1980s-2020s.

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better₇₈
Pos.		2019₇₈
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
29	UK	4.10
30	Hungary	4.20
31=	Croatia	4.30
31=	Poland	4.30
31=	New Zealand	4.30
34	Belarus	4.40
35=	Canada	4.60
35=	Malta	4.60
	Europe Avg	4.86
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better₇₉
Pos.		2023 %₇₉
1	Slovakia	24.1%₈₀
2	Slovenia	24.3%₈₀
3	Belarus	24.4%₈₁
	...
18	Kiribati	27.8%₈₂
19	Armenia	27.9%₈₃
20	Denmark	28.3%₈₀
21=	Poland	28.5%₈₀
21=	Bhutan	28.5%₈₃
23	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	28.7%₈₄
24	Croatia	28.9%₈₀
25	Kosovo	29.0%₈₅
	Europe Avg	30.7%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167. Also scored per decade 1980s-2010s.

Poland had the 10th-lowest income inequality in the 1980s.

9. Religion and Beliefs

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

Poland is particularly Catholic, so much so that even during the Communist era, it "actually gained strength [... and afterwards, asserted] its values even more into the functioning of Polish society [and] succeeded in gaining access to schools for religious instruction, getting major changes in laws concerning divorce [and] abortion"₆₅.

Religiosity (2018)₆₀
Pos.		Lower is better %₆₀
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
32	Canada	27
33=	Uzbekistan	29
33=	Uruguay	29
35	Poland	30
36	Serbia	34
37=	Israel	36
37=	Portugal	36
39	Azerbaijan	38
40	Chile	41
41=	Croatia	42
41=	Moldova	42
43	Argentina	43
44	Mexico	45
45	Kyrgyzstan	47
46	Kosovo	48
47=	Tajikistan	50
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Disbelief In God (2007)₈₆
Pos.		Higher is better %₈₆
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
61=	Uzbekistan	4
62=	Lebanon	3
62=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	3
62=	Poland	3
62=	Jamaica	3
62=	India	3
67=	Angola	2
67=	Chile	2
67=	Central African Rep.	2
67=	Tajikistan	2
67=	Turkmenistan	2
67=	Indonesia	2
73=	Paraguay	1
73=	Nicaragua	1
73=	Bolivia	1
73=	Colombia	1
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₈₇:

	2010	2020
Christian	97.3%	91.2%
Unaffiliated	2.65%	8.65%
Other	<0.1%	0.131%
Jewish	<0.1%	<0.1%
Buddhist	<0.1%	<0.1%
Muslim	<0.1%	<0.1%
Hindu	<0.1%	<0.1%

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 91.4% 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)₈₈.

The Afterlife: Ipsos-NA in 2011 gathered some statistics on Poland₈₉. 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.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: The Roman Catholic Church has a well-established position in Poland and even during the communist period, it actually gained strength₆₅. But its position runs counter to what is expected of a modern democracy, and it has steered public discourse towards increasingly hardline intolerance of those typical things that the Catholic Church fought against in the dark ages: women's rights and tolerance of LGBT folk₉₀. After the fall of Communism, the Catholic Church asserted its power to successfully get "regulation of mass media, precluding thereby criticism of the Church"₆₅ - a likely reference to the resurgent use of the old Article 196 of the Polish Penal Code, commonly known as the "offending religious feelings" blasphemy law; it has been used repeatedly to silence critics of the Catholic Church, including artists, musicians, activists and politics; it's a law and a concept that does not belong in the free world, where ideas should be freely debated.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₉₁, 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)₉₂

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 renaissance of Jewish culture" in Poland₉₃.

Links: