Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
South Korea fits inside Poland 3.1 times.
Poland: 313,930 km² (2023) · South Korea: 100,450 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
South Korea’s coastline is 5.5 times as long as Poland’s.
Poland: 440 km (2026 edition) · South Korea: 2,413 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Poland’s highest peak towers 549 m above South Korea’s.
Poland: 2,499 m (2026 edition) · South Korea: 1,950 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
South Korea has 42% more people than Poland.
Poland: 36.4 million (2025) · South Korea: 51.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
South Korea is 4.5 times as densely populated as Poland.
Poland: 119 per km² (2025) · South Korea: 530 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Poland are 5.2 cm taller than in South Korea.
Poland: 180.7 cm (2019) · South Korea: 175.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Poland are 2.6 cm taller than in South Korea.
Poland: 165.8 cm (2019) · South Korea: 163.2 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in South Korea is 3.2 years older than in Poland.
Poland: 41.3 years (2023) · South Korea: 44.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Poland have 0.4 more children on average than in South Korea.
Poland: 1.14 children per woman (2024) · South Korea: 0.75 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
Poland and South Korea are practically level.
Poland: 20.8% (2025) · South Korea: 20.3% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Poland has produced 7.7 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, South Korea 0.6.
Poland: 7.7 (2025) · South Korea: 0.6 (2025)
How many official languages?
Poland and South Korea are practically level.
Poland: 1 (2026) · South Korea: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
South Korea’s economy is 81% larger than Poland’s.
Poland: $1.04 trillion (2025) · South Korea: $1.87 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
South Korea produces 16% more per person than Poland.
Poland: Int$54,262 (2025) · South Korea: Int$63,125 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in South Korea than in Poland (Gini 4.4 points higher).
Poland: 28.5 (2023) · South Korea: 32.9 (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
Poland and South Korea are practically level.
Poland: 3% (2025) · South Korea: 2.7% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Poland spends 4.2% of its GDP on the military, South Korea 2.6%.
Poland: 4.2% (2024) · South Korea: 2.6% (2024)
How expensive is it?
South Korea’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× Poland’s.
Poland: 52% (2025) · South Korea: 57% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
South Korea spends 56% more on health per person than Poland.
Poland: $2,014 (2024) · South Korea: $3,137 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in South Korea live 5.2 years longer than in Poland.
Poland: 78.4 years (2024) · South Korea: 83.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Poland is 57% more likely to die before turning one than in South Korea.
Poland: 3.6 per 1,000 (2024) · South Korea: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Poland has 54% more doctors per person than South Korea.
Poland: 4 per 1,000 (2023) · South Korea: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
26% of adults in Poland are obese, versus 7.5% in South Korea.
Poland: 25.9% (2024) · South Korea: 7.5% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
22% of adults in Poland smoke, versus 19% in South Korea.
Poland: 21.7% (2024) · South Korea: 18.6% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Poland rate their lives 0.73 points higher than in South Korea.
Poland: 6.77 (2025) · South Korea: 6.04 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Poland drink 39% more alcohol than in South Korea.
Poland: 11.5 litres (2023) · South Korea: 8.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
South Korea and Poland are nearly identical here.
Poland: 83.3 kg (2023) · South Korea: 84 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Poland has 300 kcal more food per person per day than South Korea.
Poland: 3,730 kcal (2023) · South Korea: 3,430 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in South Korea put in 103 more hours a year than in Poland.
Poland: 1,807 hours (2023) · South Korea: 1,910 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Poland went to school 0.49 years longer than in South Korea.
Poland: 13.2 years (2023) · South Korea: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Poland welcomed 71% more tourists per resident than South Korea (2019).
Poland: 0.54 (2024) · South Korea: 0.32 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
98% of people in South Korea are online, versus 89% in Poland.
Poland: 89% (2024) · South Korea: 98% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Poland and South Korea are practically level.
Poland: 100% (2024) · South Korea: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
81% of people in South Korea live in cities, versus 60% in Poland.
Poland: 60% (2025) · South Korea: 81% (2025)
How many phones per person?
South Korea has 173 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Poland 138.
Poland: 138 (2024) · South Korea: 173 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Poland’s railway network is 4.3 times as long as South Korea’s.
Poland: 18,620 km (2021) · South Korea: 4,309 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from South Korea fly 6.1 times as many passengers per resident as those from Poland.
Poland: 0.24 (2023) · South Korea: 1.48 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 64% of South Korea, but only 31% of Poland.
Poland: 31.1% (2023) · South Korea: 64.1% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in South Korea emits 59% more CO₂ than someone in Poland.
Poland: 7.1 t (2024) · South Korea: 11.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
32% of Poland’s electricity is renewable, versus 10% in South Korea.
Poland: 31.5% (2025) · South Korea: 10.4% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in South Korea carries 35% more fine dust than in Poland.
Poland: 15.6 µg/m³ (2024) · South Korea: 21 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 68% more likely to be murdered in Poland than in South Korea.
Poland: 0.8 per 100k (2023) · South Korea: 0.5 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Korea are 6% deadlier than in Poland.
Poland: 6.5 per 100k (2021) · South Korea: 6.9 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
South Korea is on average 3.4 °C warmer than Poland.
Poland: 9.7°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 13.2°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
South Korea gets 66% more rain than Poland.
Poland: 763 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 1,265 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Poland bigger than South Korea?
Poland is larger. South Korea fits inside Poland 3.1 times.
Which has more people, Poland or South Korea?
South Korea has 42% more people than Poland (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Poland or South Korea?
People in South Korea live 5.2 years longer than in Poland. Life expectancy at birth is 78.4 years in Poland and 83.6 in South Korea.
Are people taller in Poland or South Korea?
Men in Poland are 5.2 cm taller than in South Korea (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
