Updated
Overview
The United Kingdom has about 90% more people than Poland: 69.49 million against 36.44 million (2025).
The United Kingdom's economy is 3.9 times the size of Poland's, at $4.00T versus $1.04T.
Per person, the United Kingdom is the wealthier of the two: $57,602 against $28,420 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | United Kingdom | Poland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $4.00T | $1.04T | 2025 | $3.64T / $914.70B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $57,602 | $28,420 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.4% | Higher: 3.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.9% | Lower: 3.8% | 2025 | 3.3% / 3.8% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | Lower: 3.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 89 | 52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $3,567 | $2,302 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $2,532 | $1,241 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $7.40 | $6.22 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 69.49 million | 36.44 million | 2025 | 68.75 million / 38.75 million |
| Population growth | 0.3% | -0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.1 yrs | 42.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.54 | 1.31 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 81.4 yrs | 78.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 83% | 60% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 95% | 89% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 242,900 km² | 312,679 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 286.1/km² | 116.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 313 Mt | Lower: 273 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.5 t | 7.1 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $81.76B | $38.00B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.3% | 4.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 153,000 | 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 1.4%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.9% in the United Kingdom and 3.8% in Poland.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Poland: a price level of 52 versus 89 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour the United Kingdom: $3,567 against $2,302 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
The United Kingdom is the younger society: median age 40.1 versus 42.5 years.
Life expectancy is 3.0 years longer in the United Kingdom (81.4 vs 78.4).
The United Kingdom is considerably more urbanized: 83% of people live in cities, against 60%.
Geography
By land area, the United Kingdom is 22% smaller than Poland: 242,900 km² versus 312,679 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
The United Kingdom is far more densely settled: 286 people per km² against 117.
Military
The United Kingdom spends 2.2 times as much on defence as Poland: $81.76B versus $38.00B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Poland carries the heavier military burden: 4.2% of GDP versus 2.3%.
Poland fields the larger armed forces: 189,000 personnel against 153,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is the United Kingdom bigger than Poland?
- Poland is larger by land area. The United Kingdom covers 242,900 km² while Poland covers 312,679 km², so Poland is 29% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, the United Kingdom or Poland?
- The United Kingdom has the larger population: 69.49 million versus 36.44 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is the United Kingdom richer than Poland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, the United Kingdom is richer: $57,602 against $28,420. Total GDP tells the same story: $4.00T for the United Kingdom versus $1.04T for Poland.
- Who spends more on their military, the United Kingdom or Poland?
- The United Kingdom spends more: $81.76B versus $38.00B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).