Germany vs Poland development indicators, 2024

Demography and Health

Germany has a slightly higher birth rate at 8.3 per 1,000 people compared to Poland's 7.4, ranking 54th and 72nd respectively. However, the death rate is higher in Germany at 12.3 per 1,000 compared to Poland's 11.1, with ranks of 27th and 40th respectively. Life expectancy at birth also favors Germany, at 80.5 years, while Poland's is 78.5 years. In terms of healthcare, Germany has a lower under-5 mortality rate (3.7) compared to Poland (4.4) and a higher current health expenditure as a percentage of GDP at 11.8%, compared to Poland’s 7%. Furthermore, Germany’s physician density, at 4.5 per 1,000 people, surpasses Poland's 3.4.

Economy

Germany boasts a GDP per capita of $55,800 in 2024, significantly higher than Poland's $25,023, ranking 22nd and 75th respectively. When adjusting for purchasing power parity (PPP), Germany's GDP per capita is $72,300 compared to Poland's $50,378, reflecting a similar disparity. The inflation rate in Germany stands at 2.3%, while Poland's is higher at 3.8%. Despite Germany having a stronger economic position, Poland demonstrates a higher rate of net foreign direct investment inflows (2% of GDP) compared to Germany's 1%, indicating that Poland is more attractive for foreign investments at this time.

Trade and Investment

Germany's exports of goods and services comprise 42.1% of its GDP, while Poland leads in this category with 52.3%, placing them at ranks 88 and 73 respectively. This indicates that Poland is more reliant on trade when compared to its GDP. Although Germany has extensive high-technology exports valued at $255.7 billion, Poland trails with $29.6 billion, placing them 24th in the global ranking. Germany also has a current account balance of 5.7% of GDP, significantly higher than Poland's 0.2%. However, Germany's imports are similarly substantial, constituting 38.2% of GDP compared to Poland's 48.3%, further emphasizing Poland’s heavier trade reliance.

Governance and Institutions

Germany demonstrates stronger governance indicators, such as control of corruption (1.7) and government effectiveness (1.2), compared to Poland's values of 0.6 and 0.4, ranking 19th and 29th relative to Poland's 52nd and 66th respectively. The country also excels in regulatory quality (1.5) and rule of law (1.6), in contrast with Poland's 0.8 and 0.5. Political stability is rated the same for both nations at 0.6, however, Germany’s stronger metrics indicate a more robust governance structure overall. Employment figures are similar, with the unemployment rate slightly higher in Germany at 3.1% versus Poland's 2.7%.

Infrastructure and Technology

Germany leads in logistics performance, scoring 4.3 out of 5, significantly surpassing Poland's score of 3.5, which ranks them 1st and 16th respectively. This suggests that Germany has a more established and efficient infrastructure for trade and transportation. Germany’s research and development expenditure is also notably higher at 3.1% of GDP compared to Poland's 1.5%, reflecting its commitment to innovation. Furthermore, the number of patent applications in Germany vastly outnumbers those in Poland, with 39,822 applications compared to just 3,377, highlighting Germany's superiority in technological development and intellectual property.

Environment and Sustainability

In terms of sustainable practices, Germany’s renewable energy consumption accounts for 17.6% of total energy consumption, while Poland stands at 15.2%. Poland ranks higher in terms of current greenhouse gas emissions per capita at 9.9 t CO2e/capita compared to Germany's 8.1 t CO2e/capita, indicating a larger environmental impact relative to population size. Both nations have a similar level of water stress; however, Poland has a marginally lower percentage of freshwater withdrawal relative to available resources at 32.1%, compared to Germany's 35.4%. This paints a picture of both nations grappling with environmental considerations but highlights Germany's more advanced status in renewable energy and emissions management.