Updated
Overview
Canada has 14% more people than Poland: 41.65 million against 36.44 million (2025).
Canada's economy is 2.2 times the size of Poland's, at $2.32T versus $1.04T.
Per person, Canada is the wealthier of the two: $55,698 against $28,420 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Canada | Poland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $2.32T | $1.04T | 2025 | $2.24T / $914.70B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $55,698 | $28,420 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.7% | Higher: 3.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.1% | 3.8% | 2025 | 2.4% / 3.8% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | Lower: 3.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 83 | 52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $4,121 | $2,302 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $2,106 | $1,241 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.81 | $6.22 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 41.65 million | 36.44 million | 2025 | 39.19 million / 38.75 million |
| Population growth | 0.9% | -0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.6 yrs | 42.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.33 | 1.31 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 82.1 yrs | 78.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 83% | 60% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 94% | 89% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 9,984,670 km² | 312,679 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 4.2/km² | 116.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 533 Mt | Lower: 273 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 13.4 t | Lower: 7.1 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $29.35B | $38.00B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.3% | 4.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 72,000 | 189,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Poland is growing faster: 3.6% annual GDP growth versus 1.7%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.1% in Canada and 3.8% in Poland.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Poland: a price level of 52 versus 83 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Canada: $4,121 against $2,302 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 40.6 (Canada) and 42.5 (Poland).
Life expectancy is 3.7 years longer in Canada (82.1 vs 78.4).
Canada is considerably more urbanized: 83% of people live in cities, against 60%.
Geography
By land area, Canada is 32 times the size of Poland: 9,984,670 km² versus 312,679 km².
Poland is far more densely settled: 117 people per km² against 4.
Military
Poland spends 29% more on defence than Canada: $38.00B versus $29.35B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Poland carries the heavier military burden: 4.2% of GDP versus 1.3%.
Poland fields the larger armed forces: 189,000 personnel against 72,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Canada bigger than Poland?
- Canada is larger by land area. Canada covers 9,984,670 km² while Poland covers 312,679 km², so Canada is 32 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Canada or Poland?
- Canada has the larger population: 41.65 million versus 36.44 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Canada richer than Poland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Canada is richer: $55,698 against $28,420. Total GDP tells the same story: $2.32T for Canada versus $1.04T for Poland.
- Who spends more on their military, Canada or Poland?
- Poland spends more: $38.00B versus $29.35B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).