Updated
Overview
Poland has about 85% more people than Chile: 36.44 million against 19.86 million (2025).
Poland's economy is 2.9 times the size of Chile's, at $1.04T versus $357.37B.
Per person, Poland is the wealthier of the two: $28,420 against $17,995 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Poland | Chile | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.04T | $357.37B | 2025 | $914.70B / $330.27B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $28,420 | $17,995 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.6% | 2.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.8% | 4.2% | 2025 | 3.8% / 4.3% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.0% | 9.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 52 | 48 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $2,302 | $1,024 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,241 | $530 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $6.22 | $5.41 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 36.44 million | 19.86 million | 2025 | 38.75 million / 19.09 million |
| Population growth | -0.3% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 42.5 yrs | 36.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.31 | 1.13 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 78.4 yrs | Higher: 81.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 60% | 89% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 89% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 312,679 km² | 756,102 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 116.5/km² | 26.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 273 Mt | Lower: 79 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.1 t | Lower: 4.0 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $38.00B | $5.11B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 4.2% | 1.6% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 189,000 | 114,000 | 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 2.5%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.8% in Poland and 4.2% in Chile.
Average monthly earnings favour Poland: $2,302 against $1,024 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Chile is the younger society: median age 36.9 versus 42.5 years.
Life expectancy is 2.9 years longer in Chile (81.4 vs 78.4).
Chile is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 60%.
Geography
By land area, Poland is 59% smaller than Chile: 312,679 km² versus 756,102 km².
Poland is far more densely settled: 117 people per km² against 26.
Military
Poland spends 7.4 times as much on defence as Chile: $38.00B versus $5.11B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Poland carries the heavier military burden: 4.2% of GDP versus 1.6%.
Poland fields the larger armed forces: 189,000 personnel against 114,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Poland bigger than Chile?
- Chile is larger by land area. Poland covers 312,679 km² while Chile covers 756,102 km², so Chile is 2.4 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Poland or Chile?
- Poland has the larger population: 36.44 million versus 19.86 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Poland richer than Chile?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Poland is richer: $28,420 against $17,995. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.04T for Poland versus $357.37B for Chile.
- Who spends more on their military, Poland or Chile?
- Poland spends more: $38.00B versus $5.11B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).