Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The Netherlands fits inside Poland 7.6 times.
Netherlands: 41,540 km² (2023) · Poland: 313,930 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
The Netherlands’ coastline is 2% longer than Poland’s.
Netherlands: 451 km (2026 edition) · Poland: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Poland’s highest peak towers 1,637 m above the Netherlands’.
Netherlands: 862 m (2026 edition) · Poland: 2,499 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Poland has 2 times as many people as the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 18.1 million (2025) · Poland: 36.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The Netherlands is 4.5 times as densely populated as Poland.
Netherlands: 537 per km² (2025) · Poland: 119 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the Netherlands are 3.1 cm taller than in Poland.
Netherlands: 183.8 cm (2019) · Poland: 180.7 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the Netherlands are 4.6 cm taller than in Poland.
Netherlands: 170.4 cm (2019) · Poland: 165.8 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The Netherlands and Poland are practically level.
Netherlands: 41.4 years (2023) · Poland: 41.3 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the Netherlands have 0.3 more children on average than in Poland.
Netherlands: 1.43 children per woman (2024) · Poland: 1.14 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
The Netherlands and Poland are practically level.
Netherlands: 20.9% (2025) · Poland: 20.8% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
The Netherlands has produced 11.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Poland 7.7.
Netherlands: 11.1 (2025) · Poland: 7.7 (2025)
How many official languages?
The Netherlands and Poland are practically level.
Netherlands: 1 (2026) · Poland: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The Netherlands’ economy is 29% larger than Poland’s.
Netherlands: $1.33 trillion (2025) · Poland: $1.04 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The Netherlands produces 61% more per person than Poland.
Netherlands: Int$87,320 (2025) · Poland: Int$54,262 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Poland than in the Netherlands (Gini 2.8 points higher).
Netherlands: 25.7 (2021) · Poland: 28.5 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 3.9% in the Netherlands, versus 3.0% in Poland.
Netherlands: 3.9% (2025) · Poland: 3% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Poland spends 4.2% of its GDP on the military, the Netherlands 1.9%.
Netherlands: 1.9% (2024) · Poland: 4.2% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The Netherlands’ price level (US = 100) is 1.6× Poland’s.
Netherlands: 84% (2025) · Poland: 52% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The Netherlands spends 3.4 times as much on health per person as Poland.
Netherlands: $6,845 (2024) · Poland: $2,014 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in the Netherlands live 3.6 years longer than in Poland.
Netherlands: 82 years (2024) · Poland: 78.4 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Poland is 6% more likely to die before turning one than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024) · Poland: 3.6 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Poland has 4% more doctors per person than the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3.9 per 1,000 (2022) · Poland: 4 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is obesity?
26% of adults in Poland are obese, versus 17% in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 16.9% (2024) · Poland: 25.9% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
22% of adults in Poland smoke, versus 21% in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 20.5% (2024) · Poland: 21.7% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the Netherlands rate their lives 0.46 points higher than in Poland.
Netherlands: 7.22 (2025) · Poland: 6.77 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Poland drink 34% more alcohol than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 8.6 litres (2023) · Poland: 11.5 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Poland has 16% more meat per person than the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 71.6 kg (2023) · Poland: 83.3 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Poland has 263 kcal more food per person per day than the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3,467 kcal (2023) · Poland: 3,730 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Poland put in 368 more hours a year than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 1,439 hours (2023) · Poland: 1,807 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Poland went to school 0.54 years longer than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 12.7 years (2023) · Poland: 13.2 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
The Netherlands welcomed 68% more tourists per resident than Poland (2019).
Netherlands: 0.91 (2022) · Poland: 0.54 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
97% of people in the Netherlands are online, versus 89% in Poland.
Netherlands: 97% (2024) · Poland: 89% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
The Netherlands and Poland are practically level.
Netherlands: 100% (2024) · Poland: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
96% of people in the Netherlands live in cities, versus 60% in Poland.
Netherlands: 96% (2025) · Poland: 60% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Poland has 138 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the Netherlands 129.
Netherlands: 129 (2024) · Poland: 138 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Poland’s railway network is 6.1 times as long as the Netherlands’.
Netherlands: 3,041 km (2021) · Poland: 18,620 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the Netherlands fly 9.5 times as many passengers per resident as those from Poland.
Netherlands: 2.29 (2023) · Poland: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 31% of Poland, but only 11% of the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 11.1% (2023) · Poland: 31.1% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Poland emits 12% more CO₂ than someone in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 6.3 t (2024) · Poland: 7.1 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
51% of the Netherlands’ electricity is renewable, versus 32% in Poland.
Netherlands: 51.2% (2025) · Poland: 31.5% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Poland carries 63% more fine dust than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 9.6 µg/m³ (2024) · Poland: 15.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 16% more likely to be murdered in Poland than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 0.7 per 100k (2023) · Poland: 0.8 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Poland are 91% deadlier than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3.4 per 100k (2021) · Poland: 6.5 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The Netherlands is on average 1.5 °C warmer than Poland.
Netherlands: 11.2°C (2016–2025 avg) · Poland: 9.7°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
The Netherlands gets 16% more rain than Poland.
Netherlands: 887 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Poland: 763 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is the Netherlands bigger than Poland?
Poland is larger. The Netherlands fits inside Poland 7.6 times.
Which has more people, the Netherlands or Poland?
Poland has 2 times as many people as the Netherlands (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, the Netherlands or Poland?
People in the Netherlands live 3.6 years longer than in Poland. Life expectancy at birth is 82.0 years in the Netherlands and 78.4 in Poland.
Are people taller in the Netherlands or Poland?
Men in the Netherlands are 3.1 cm taller than in Poland (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
