Photo: Ralf Lotys (Sicherlich) · CC BY 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 05 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Poland: Health & Wellbeing
How long, and how well fed, do people live?
Poland is placed 20th of 200 countries on health & wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Life Expectancy at Birth 78.63 (2023); Under-Five Mortality Rate 4.221 (2024).
Share
Health & Wellbeing
20th
of 200 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 78.63Life Expectancy at Birth, 2023Years a newborn would live at current death rates
- 4.221Under-Five Mortality Rate, 2024Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
- 1.046Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, 2024Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
- —Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, 2024No reading for this country
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Poland on health & wellbeing — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Life Expectancy at Birth
UN DESA Population Division
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
78.63
Years a newborn would live at current death rates
Higher is better
Poland: 78.63. Across the 222 countries in this edition, values run from 54.46 (Nigeria) to 86.37 (Monaco); the world median is 74.63.
- World median
- 74.63
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 79.83 Czechia
- Land neighbours
- Belarus 74.43 · Czechia 79.83 · Germany 81.38 · Lithuania 76.03 · Russia 73.15 · Slovakia 78.34 · Ukraine 73.42
Key 2 of 4
Under-Five Mortality Rate
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
4.221
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
Lower is better
Poland: 4.221. Across the 200 countries in this edition, values run from 1.26 (San Marino) to 115.65 (Nigeria); the world median is 14.54.
- World median
- 14.54
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 2.331 Belarus
- Land neighbours
- Belarus 2.331 · Czechia 2.594 · Germany 3.711 · Lithuania 3.377 · Russia 5.173 · Slovakia 6.286 · Ukraine 7.888
Key 3 of 4
Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Poland’s is from 2019 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
1.046
Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
Lower is better
Poland: 1.046. Across the 162 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.518 (Latvia) to 52.8 (Burundi); the world median is 13.8.
- World median
- 13.8
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 1.046 Poland
- Land neighbours
- Belarus 1.2 · Czechia 2.8 · Germany 1.281 · Lithuania 1.036 · Ukraine 22.85
Key 4 of 4
Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Population in severe food insecurity (%)
Lower is better
FAO publishes no 2024 figure for Poland, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 125 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Brazil) to 62.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 4.9.
- World median
- 4.9
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 1.3 Slovakia
- Land neighbours
- Czechia 1.7 · Germany 1.1 · Lithuania 1.2 · Slovakia 1.3 · Ukraine 5.4
02Over time
Which way Poland is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Years a newborn would live at current death rates · higher is better
PolandWorld median
Poland rose from 73.65 in 2000 to 78.63 in 2023; the world median went from 70.68 to 74.63.
Every year’s figures
Year Poland World median 2023 78.633 74.630 2022 77.923 74.313 2021 75.639 72.433 2020 76.595 73.063 2019 77.921 74.196 2018 77.623 74.081 2017 77.716 74.029 2016 77.640 74.013 2015 77.589 73.783 2014 77.312 73.330 2013 77.076 73.386 2012 76.775 73.210 2011 76.568 73.003 2010 76.282 72.827 2009 75.906 72.426 2008 75.583 72.264 2007 75.414 72.113 2006 75.250 72.027 2005 75.127 71.876 2004 74.943 71.477 2003 74.772 71.409 2002 74.518 71.173 2001 74.177 70.926 2000 73.645 70.678 Under-Five Mortality Rate
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) · lower is better
PolandWorld median
Poland fell from 9.326 in 2000 to 4.221 in 2024; the world median went from 30.43 to 14.54.
Every year’s figures
Year Poland World median 2024 4.22 14.5 2023 4.30 15.2 2022 4.34 14.7 2021 4.36 15.1 2020 4.40 15.3 2019 4.46 15.7 2018 4.55 16.3 2017 4.65 16.8 2016 4.76 17.5 2015 4.89 17.9 2014 5.04 18.3 2013 5.22 18.7 2012 5.42 18.8 2011 5.67 19.0 2010 5.97 19.2 2009 6.32 20.8 2008 6.68 20.7 2007 7.01 21.8 2006 7.29 22.8 2005 7.55 24.0 2004 7.82 25.9 2003 8.11 26.9 2002 8.42 28.0 2001 8.82 29.1 2000 9.33 30.4 Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Population in severe food insecurity (%) · lower is better
PolandWorld median
Poland fell from 1.8 in 2015 to 0.9 in 2022; the world median went from 3.4 to 5.45.
Every year’s figures
Year Poland World median 2024 — 4.9 2023 — 4.7 2022 0.9 5.4 2021 1.0 5.7 2020 0.9 5.6 2019 — 5.0 2018 — 4.2 2017 0.7 4.0 2016 1.2 3.4 2015 1.8 3.4
03In context
Poland beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 200 countries on health & wellbeing, never a place within the region.
Poland and the countries it borders
Standing among all 200; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Life Expectancy at BirthYears a newborn would live at current death rates | Under-Five Mortality RateDeaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) | Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveChildren under 5 who are stunted (%) | Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityPopulation in severe food insecurity (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Germanycompare | 11th | 81.38 | 3.711 | 1.281 | 1.1 |
| Poland | 20th | 78.63 | 4.221 | 1.046 | — |
 Czechia | 23rd | 79.83 | 2.594 | 2.8 | 1.7 |
 Lithuania | 25th | 76.03 | 3.377 | 1.036 | 1.2 |
 Belarus | =34th | 74.43 | 2.331 | 1.2 | — |
 Slovakia | 44th | 78.34 | 6.286 | — | 1.3 |
 Russiacompare | 73rd | 73.15 | 5.173 | — | — |
 Ukraine | 97th | 73.42 | 7.888 | 22.85 | 5.4 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern Europe
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 200.
Placed either side on health & wellbeing
The countries immediately above and below Poland in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Poland is ahead of the world, and behind
43 more statistics filed under health & wellbeing, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median28
Statistics on which Poland does better than the middle country measured.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.651.5746.65No real change since 2013
Poland: 1.57 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 192nd of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Dietary Energy SupplyFAO · 2024 · world median 2,9823,8012,982▲ Improved since 2014
Poland: 3,801 · world median 2,982 · Dietary energy supply (kcal per person per day). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1,757 to 3,962; higher is better.
Position 7th of 155 · derived.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.92.720.9▲ Improved since 2015
Poland: 2.7 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.
Position 128th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.20.25▲ Improved since 2014
Poland: 0.2 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Wasting Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 3.5460.8013.546No earlier reading
Poland: 0.801 · world median 3.546 · Children under 5 who are wasted (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.1 to 22.74; lower is better.
Position 150th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.1632.3548.163No real change since 2013
Poland: 2.354 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.
Position 182nd of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Low Birthweight PrevalenceUNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates) · 2020 · world median 10.215.60710.21No real change since 2010
Poland: 5.607 · world median 10.21 · Live births weighing under 2,500 g (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 3.993 to 27.44; lower is better.
Position 142nd of 158 · derived, 1st = worst.
Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.999.896.9No earlier reading
Poland: 99.8 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.
Human Capital IndexWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 0.5640.7530.564▲ Improved since 2010
Poland: 0.753 · world median 0.564 · HCI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.292 to 0.879; higher is better.
Position 23rd of 172 · derived.
Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.1342.4688.134No real change since 2014
Poland: 2.468 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.
Position 168th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.0810.351▲ Improved since 2013
Poland: 0.081 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 29th of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.263.61212.26No real change since 2014
Poland: 3.612 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.
Position 165th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8581.0822.858▼ Worsened since 2014
Poland: 1.082 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.
Position 165th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.7620.9060.762No real change since 2013
Poland: 0.906 · world median 0.762 · HDI score (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.388 to 0.972; higher is better.
Ranked 35th of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.466.19127.46▲ Improved since 2013
Poland: 6.191 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 181st of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Prevalence of UndernourishmentFAO · 2023 · world median 5.22.55.2▼ Worsened since 2013
Poland: 2.5 · world median 5.2 · Population undernourished (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 54.2; lower is better.
Position 104th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Fatal Occupational InjuriesILO · 2023 · world median 2.0051.192.005▲ Improved since 2013
Poland: 1.19 · world median 2.005 · Fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 workers. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.12 to 8.409; lower is better.
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 26.47.326.4▲ Improved since 2017
Poland: 7.3 · world median 26.4 · Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 93.9; lower is better.
Position 109th of 145 · derived, 1st = worst.
Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and TubersFAO · 2022 · world median 413241▲ Improved since 2012
Poland: 32 · world median 41 · Share of dietary energy supply from cereals, roots and tubers (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 21 to 82; lower is better.
Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 16.3918.716.39No real change since 2013
Poland: 18.7 · world median 16.39 · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 12.13 to 23.21; higher is better.
Position 59th of 222 · derived.
Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.480.123.48▲ Improved since 2015
Poland: 0.12 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.
Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 133.7102.43133.7▲ Improved since 2013
Poland: 102.43 · world median 133.7 · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 25.15 to 415.44; lower is better.
Position 140th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Vegetable Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 102.69123.56102.69No real change since 2013
Poland: 123.56 · world median 102.69 · Vegetables available as food (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.89 to 412.72; higher is better.
Immunisation Coverage, DTP3WUENIC · 2025 · world median 919491▼ Worsened since 2015
Poland: 94 · world median 91 · Infants given a third dose of DTP vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 39 to 99; higher is better.
Births Attended by Skilled Health StaffUNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance) · 2023 · world median 99.399.699.3▼ Worsened since 2013
Poland: 99.6 · world median 99.3 · Births attended by skilled health staff (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 60.9 to 100; higher is better.
Position 34th of 84 · derived.
PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · 2023 · world median 14.4512.914.45▲ Improved since 2013
Poland: 12.9 · world median 14.45 · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³). Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 68.2; lower is better.
Position 126th of 220 · derived, 1st = worst.
Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2572.271.25▲ Improved since 2013
Poland: 72.2 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.
Position 92nd of 196 · derived.
Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1)WUENIC · 2025 · world median 909190▼ Worsened since 2015
Poland: 91 · world median 90 · Infants given a first dose of measles vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 13 to 99; higher is better.
Behind the world median5
Statistics on which Poland does worse than the middle country measured.
Agreement That Vaccines Are SafeWellcome Trust · 2018 · world median 77.6577.5977.65No earlier reading
Poland: 77.59 · world median 77.65 · People aged 15+ who agree that vaccines are safe (% of those who had heard of vaccines). Wellcome Trust, 2018 edition, data for 2018.
Published values in that edition run from 29.29 to 97.91; higher is better.
Position 73rd of 144 · derived.
Fruit Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 84.8366.8884.83▲ Improved since 2013
Poland: 66.88 · world median 84.83 · Fruit available as food, excluding wine (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.27 to 379.63; higher is better.
Overweight Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 5.58.5565.5▼ Worsened since 2014
Poland: 8.556 · world median 5.5 · Children under 5 who are overweight (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.623 to 26.43; lower is better.
Position 53rd of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 PandemicAriel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset) · 2026 · world median 272.35420.8272.35No earlier reading
Poland: 420.8 · world median 272.35 · Excess deaths per 100,000 people, March 2020 to the end of each country's data (at most December 2023). Ariel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from -264.9 to 1,013; lower is better.
HPV Vaccination Coverage, GirlsWUENIC · 2025 · world median 65.51565.5▲ Improved since 2023
Poland: 15 · world median 65.5 · Girls in the target group given the final dose of HPV vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 99; higher is better.
No better end10
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.8814.116.88No earlier reading
Poland: 14.11 · world median 6.88 · Population in households spending more than 10% of their budget on health out of pocket (%). World Bank Group, 2019 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 0.133 to 31.21.
Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 41.2554.341.25Moved since 2013
Poland: 54.3 · world median 41.25 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using any contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.6 to 78.7.
Meat Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 57.8383.3157.83No real change since 2013
Poland: 83.31 · world median 57.83 · Meat available as food (kg per person per year, carcass weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.49 to 156.95.
Modern Contraceptive PrevalenceUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 35.443.735.4Moved since 2013
Poland: 43.7 · world median 35.4 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using a modern contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2 to 73.8.
Pesticide Use per HectareFAO · 2024 · world median 1.732.091.73Moved since 2014
Poland: 2.09 · world median 1.73 · Pesticide use (kg per hectare of cropland). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.72.
Position 84th of 178 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry OnWellcome Trust · 2020 · world median 20.0520.620.05No earlier reading
Poland: 20.6 · world median 20.05 · People aged 15+ who have ever been too anxious or depressed to continue their usual activities for two weeks or more (%). Wellcome Trust, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 2.934 to 49.35.
Caesarean Section RateUNICEF · 2025 · world median 20.6520.620.65No earlier reading
Poland: 20.6 · world median 20.65 · Live births delivered by caesarean section (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 72.2.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.554.554.55Moved since 2017
Poland: 4.55 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
Fish and Seafood Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 16.1711.1516.17No real change since 2013
Poland: 11.15 · world median 16.17 · Fish and seafood available as food (kg per person per year, live-weight equivalent). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.38 to 83.81.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8936.3238.89Moved since 2015
Poland: 36.32 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 121st of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
No current reading for Poland
Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four Visits, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Children with Functional Difficulties, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index (last 2024), Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity (last 2022), Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months and Violent Discipline of Children. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Health & Wellbeing among Poland’s 16 topics
Health & Wellbeing is Poland’s 4th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Education & Knowledge3rd of 1983/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 12th of 1834/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture15th of 1844/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing20th of 2003/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital21st of 1963/3 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 28th of 1984/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality24th of 1593/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions37th of 1944/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade36th of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties45th of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 48th of 1934/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation45th of 1764/4 keys
- Work & Labour47th of 1824/4 keys
- Peace & Security64th of 1774/4 keys
- Energy82nd of 1653/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainability151st of 1864/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on health & wellbeing
The three countries placed highest of 200, and the leaders Poland can most readily be measured against.
1
San MarinoSouthern Europe
1st of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
MonacoWestern Europe
2nd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
AndorraSouthern Europe
3rd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest placed on all 4 keys
South Korea5th4/4 keysHighest in Europe
San Marino1st2/4 keysHighest in Eastern Europe
Poland20th3/4 keys
Positions out of 200 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Poland and health & wellbeing
On health & wellbeing
Global Hunger Index 2025: Countries with the Most Alarming Hunger Crisis
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.
On health & wellbeing
World Happiness Report 2025: Finland Leads Again as the US and UK Face Major Declines
The ten highest life evaluations of 2025, drawn on a world map, and the six things the report uses to explain them. Costa Rica and Mexico are the only two outside Europe and the Middle East.
08Questions
Poland on health & wellbeing: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Poland rank on health & wellbeing?
Poland is placed 20th of 200 countries on Health & Wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics (Life Expectancy at Birth, Under-Five Mortality Rate and Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Life Expectancy at Birth figure for Poland?
78.63 in 2023 (years a newborn would live at current death rates), according to UN DESA Population Division. The world median in the same edition was 74.63.
What is the latest Under-Five Mortality Rate figure for Poland?
4.221 in 2024 (deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)), according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). The world median in the same edition was 14.54.
How does Poland compare with Russia on health & wellbeing?
Russia is placed 73rd of 200, and Poland 20th. Life Expectancy at Birth: Russia 73.15, Poland 78.63; Under-Five Mortality Rate: Russia 5.173, Poland 4.221.
How have Poland’s health & wellbeing figures changed?
Life Expectancy at Birth rose from 73.65 in 2000 to 78.63 in 2023; Under-Five Mortality Rate fell from 9.326 in 2000 to 4.221 in 2024; Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity fell from 1.8 in 2015 to 0.9 in 2022.
Which health & wellbeing statistics are missing for Poland?
No current reading is published for Poland on Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four Visits, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Children with Functional Difficulties, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months and Violent Discipline of Children. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Health spending, hospital beds and doctors per person are not measured, because more of any of them does not guarantee better outcomes. Mental health and self-reported happiness are not part of this topic. Food supply per person is measured under Food & Agriculture. Maternal mortality and many other indicators are published here as context; maternal mortality is a key in Development & Human Capital instead.
How the Health & Wellbeing standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The health & wellbeing method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Life Expectancy at Birth — UN DESA Population Division, CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Under-Five Mortality Rate — UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five — UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 43 statistics on this page come from 16 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Poland’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Poland (banner) — Ralf Lotys (Sicherlich), CC BY 3.0
- San Marino — Matl derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monaco — Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Andorra — Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Poland: Health & Wellbeing — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/poland/health