Estonia vs Poland development indicators, 2024

Demography and Health

Estonia has a crude birth rate of 8 per 1,000 people, which is slightly higher than Poland's 7.4. In terms of the crude death rate, Estonia's figure stands at 11.7 per 1,000 people compared to Poland's 11.1. Both countries have the same life expectancy at birth, at 78.5 years. However, Estonia demonstrates a significantly lower under-5 mortality rate at 2.1 per 1,000 live births, while Poland has 4.4. The prevalence of undernourishment in both nations is at 2.5% of the population. Estonia faces negative net migration, with a projection of -7,742, whereas Poland experiences a more substantial outflow at -238,062.

Economy

Estonia's GDP per capita (current US$) is considerably higher at $31,170 compared to Poland's $25,023. However, when looking at GDP per capita in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), Estonia stands at $49,334, which is somewhat lower than Poland's $50,378. In terms of inflation, Estonia’s consumer prices are increasing at an annual rate of 3.5%, which is slightly less than Poland's 3.8%. Estonia also performs better in terms of high-technology exports, generating $2.1 billion compared to Poland’s $29.6 billion. The unemployment rate in Estonia is higher at 6.4% compared to Poland's low of 2.7%.

Trade and Investment

Exports of goods and services as a percentage of GDP reveal a stark difference, with Estonia exporting 76.3% versus Poland's 52.3%. On the other hand, imports represent a larger share of GDP in Estonia at 75.7% compared to Poland’s 48.3%. Foreign direct investment (FDI) presents a contrasting picture; Estonia's net inflows are negative at -8.2% of GDP, while Poland enjoys a positive inflow at 2%. The current account balance further demonstrates Estonia's economic challenges, standing at -1.1% of GDP versus Poland's healthier 0.2%.

Governance and Institutions

In measures of governance, Estonia scores comparatively better in various indicators. The Control of Corruption index shows Estonia at 1.5 while Poland is at 0.6. Similarly, Estonia has a Government Effectiveness score of 1.3 compared to Poland's 0.4, indicating robust administrative capabilities. The Rule of Law in Estonia is also higher at 1.4 against Poland's 0.5. Estonia ranks better in Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism with a score of 0.7 versus Poland's 0.6. Nevertheless, regulatory quality ranks better in Estonia at 1.4, showcasing a more favorable regulatory environment than Poland's 0.8.

Infrastructure and Technology

Both countries exhibit a similar logistics performance index, rating at 3.5. However, Estonia's technological advancement is highlighted by its internet usage rate, where 93.2% of the population utilizes the internet, compared to Poland's 86.4%. Additionally, the number of patent applications filed by residents in Estonia is significantly lower, with only 25 compared to Poland's 3,377, indicating a potential difference in innovation output.

Environment and Sustainability

Estonia exemplifies a stronger commitment to renewable energy consumption, utilizing 38% of its total final energy from renewable sources, markedly better than Poland's 15.2%. The level of water stress is also more favorable in Estonia, with freshwater withdrawal at 10.8% compared to Poland's higher rate of 32.1%. Finally, Estonia has higher greenhouse gas emissions per capita at 10.5 tons of CO2 equivalent, whereas Poland’s figure is slightly lower at 9.9 tons, indicating different approaches to industrial and environmental policies.