Updated
Overview
Poland has 32% more people than Australia: 36.44 million against 27.61 million (2025).
Australia's economy is about 75% larger than Poland's, at $1.80T versus $1.04T.
Per person, Australia is the wealthier of the two: $65,130 against $28,420 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Poland | Australia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $1.04T | Higher: $1.80T | 2025 | $914.70B / $1.75T |
| GDP per capita | $28,420 | Higher: $65,130 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.6% | 1.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.8% | Lower: 2.9% | 2025 | 3.8% / 3.2% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.0% | 4.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 52 | 90 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $2,302 | Higher: $4,436 | 2025 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $1,241 | Higher: $2,655 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $6.22 | $5.95 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 36.44 million | 27.61 million | 2025 | 38.75 million / 27.49 million |
| Population growth | -0.3% | 1.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 42.5 yrs | 38.3 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.31 | 1.64 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 78.4 yrs | Higher: 83.1 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 60% | 88% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 89% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 312,679 km² | 7,692,024 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 116.5/km² | 3.6/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 273 Mt | 387 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 7.1 t | 14.5 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $38.00B | $33.82B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 4.2% | 1.9% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 189,000 | 60,000 | 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 1.4%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.8% in Poland and 2.9% in Australia.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Poland: a price level of 52 versus 90 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Australia: $4,436 against $2,302 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Australia is the younger society: median age 38.3 versus 42.5 years.
Life expectancy is 4.6 years longer in Australia (83.1 vs 78.4).
Australia is considerably more urbanized: 88% of people live in cities, against 60%.
Geography
By land area, Poland is only about 1/25 the size of Australia: 312,679 km² versus 7,692,024 km².
Poland is far more densely settled: 117 people per km² against 4.
Military
Defence budgets are of similar magnitude: $38.00B (Poland) and $33.82B (Australia).
Relative to its economy, Poland carries the heavier military burden: 4.2% of GDP versus 1.9%.
Poland fields the larger armed forces: 189,000 personnel against 60,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Poland bigger than Australia?
- Australia is larger by land area. Poland covers 312,679 km² while Australia covers 7,692,024 km², so Australia is 25 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Poland or Australia?
- Poland has the larger population: 36.44 million versus 27.61 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Poland richer than Australia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Australia is richer: $65,130 against $28,420. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.04T for Poland versus $1.80T for Australia.
- Who spends more on their military, Poland or Australia?
- Poland spends more: $38.00B versus $33.82B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).