Poland vs Slovakia development indicators, 2024

Indicator	Poland, Value	Slovakia, Value	Poland, Rank	Slovakia, Rank	Poland as % of Slovakia
Current account balance (% of GDP)	0.196	-2.75	52	80
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP)	52.3	85.2	37	9	61.4 %
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP)	2.02	2.53	53	46	79.9 %
GDP per capita (current US$)	25,023	26,148	48	46	95.7 %
GDP per capita, PPP (current international US$)	50,378	47,181	42	49	107 %
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP)	48.3	85	58	11	56.8 %
Inflation, consumer prices (annual %)	3.79	2.76	56	92	137 %
Net migration	-238,062	-21,027	207	170	1,132 %
Population, total	36,554,707	5,422,069	42	119	674 %

Demography and Health

Poland has a crude birth rate of 7.4 per 1,000 people, compared to Slovakia's higher rate of 9, which ranks Slovakia 40th globally against Poland's 72nd rank. However, Poland has a slightly higher crude death rate (11.1) than Slovakia (10), positioning them 40th and 51st respectively. Life expectancy in Poland stands at 78.5 years, while Slovakia's is 78 years. In child mortality, Poland fares better with a mortality rate of 4.4 per 1,000 live births compared to Slovakia's 6.1, placing Poland 16th globally against Slovakia's 6th. As for net migration, Poland experiences a decline (-238,062) while Slovakia has a lesser decline of -21,027. Moreover, Poland has a lower prevalence of undernourishment at 2.5% versus Slovakia's 3.6%. Poland's overall health indicators appear relatively stronger despite facing several demographic challenges.

Economy

Poland's GDP per capita in current US dollars is $25,023, lower than Slovakia's $26,148, which ranks Slovakia 73rd globally while Poland ranks 75th. However, Poland's GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP) is $50,378, compared to Slovakia's $47,181, ranking Poland 64th against Slovakia's 74th. In high-technology exports for 2023, Poland generated $29.6 billion, outperforming Slovakia's $10.1 billion. When considering inflation, Poland has a rate of 3.8%, higher than Slovakia's 2.8%. Poland's total reliance on foreign direct investment net inflows stands at 2% of GDP, compared to Slovakia, which is at 2.5%, showcasing Slovakia's slightly higher dependency. Despite these variances, both countries show robust economic foundations with unique strengths.

Trade and Investment

In terms of trade, Poland's exports constitute 52.3% of its GDP, contrasting sharply with Slovakia, where exports represent a substantial 85.2% of GDP. This indicates Slovakia's economy is more heavily reliant on external trade. Conversely, Poland's imports also account for a considerable 48.3% of GDP, again lower than Slovakia's 85%. This signifies a critical trade imbalance for Slovakia and could highlight vulnerabilities associated with high dependence on international markets. Additionally, Poland's current account balance is positive at 0.2% of GDP, while Slovakia suffers a negative balance of -2.7%, indicating Poland's stronger position in managing its external financial relationships.

Governance and Institutions

Poland demonstrates relatively stronger governance indicators than Slovakia. In the Control of Corruption index for 2023, Poland scored 0.6 while Slovakia scored 0.3, establishing Poland at a rank of 52 versus Slovakia's 62. Government effectiveness, another crucial metric, is similarly higher in Poland with a score of 0.4, ranked 66th compared to Slovakia's 0.2 and 74th rank. Both countries display similar scores on Political Stability and Absence of Violence, with both at 0.6, suggesting comparable stability. The Rule of Law score indicates Poland is somewhat weaker at 0.5 compared to Slovakia's 0.6; however, Poland still outperforms Slovakia on Regulatory Quality (0.8 versus 0.6). This comparison suggests that while both nations face governance challenges, Poland generally leads in institutional effectiveness.

Infrastructure and Technology

Poland's logistics performance index stands at 3.5, indicating a relatively favorable trade and transport infrastructure compared to Slovakia's score of 3.3. In terms of innovation, Poland sees a significant number of patent applications from residents at 3,377, presenting a strong track record of intellectual property growth compared to Slovakia's meager 146 applications. However, the spending on research and development as a share of GDP is somewhat higher in Poland at 1.5% against Slovakia's 1%. This suggests that while Slovakia works to bolster its technology infrastructure, Poland appears to leverage better systems in place for innovation.

Environment and Sustainability

When addressing environmental concerns, Poland faces higher per capita greenhouse gas emissions (9.9 t CO2e per capita) compared to Slovakia's 8.3 t CO2e per capita, revealing a significant opportunity for Poland to enhance its sustainability efforts. However, Poland's reliance on renewable energy consumption is at 15.2% of total final energy consumption, lagging behind Slovakia’s 17.9%. Poland's level of water stress is notably high with freshwater withdrawal at 32.1%, raising concerns over sustainability, while Slovakia enjoys a much healthier proportion of 2.4%. These metrics indicate contrasting approaches toward environmental management, with Slovakia showcasing superior renewable energy initiatives but both nations facing critical challenges in emissions and resource sustainability.