Updated
Overview
Spain has about 35% more people than Poland: 49.36 million against 36.44 million (2025).
Spain's economy is about 85% larger than Poland's, at $1.91T versus $1.04T.
Per person, Spain is the wealthier of the two: $38,627 against $28,420 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Spain | Poland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.91T | $1.04T | 2025 | $1.72T / $914.70B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $38,627 | $28,420 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.8% | Higher: 3.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.7% | 3.8% | 2025 | 2.8% / 3.8% |
| Unemployment | 10.4% | Lower: 3.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $3,574 | $2,302 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,561 | $1,241 | 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $6.22 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 49.36 million | 36.44 million | 2025 | 47.28 million / 38.75 million |
| Population growth | 1.0% | -0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.9 yrs | 42.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.31 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.9 yrs | 78.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 60% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 89% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 505,992 km² | 312,679 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 97.5/km² | 116.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 220 Mt | 273 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.6 t | 7.1 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.62B | $38.00B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 4.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 199,000 | 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 2.8%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.7% in Spain and 3.8% in Poland.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Poland: a price level of 52 versus 65 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Spain: $3,574 against $2,302 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Poland is the younger society: median age 42.5 versus 45.9 years.
Life expectancy is 5.5 years longer in Spain (83.9 vs 78.4).
Spain is considerably more urbanized: 81% of people live in cities, against 60%.
Geography
By land area, Spain is 62% larger than Poland: 505,992 km² versus 312,679 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Military
Poland spends about 55% more on defence than Spain: $38.00B versus $24.62B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Poland carries the heavier military burden: 4.2% of GDP versus 1.4%.
Spain fields the larger armed forces: 199,000 personnel against 189,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Spain bigger than Poland?
- Spain is larger by land area. Spain covers 505,992 km² while Poland covers 312,679 km², so Spain is 62% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Spain or Poland?
- Spain has the larger population: 49.36 million versus 36.44 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Spain richer than Poland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Spain is richer: $38,627 against $28,420. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.91T for Spain versus $1.04T for Poland.
- Who spends more on their military, Spain or Poland?
- Poland spends more: $38.00B versus $24.62B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).