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Sub-region of Europe · Country Index 2026

Eastern Europe

How are the countries of Eastern Europe doing?

Half of Eastern Europe’s 10 placed countries sit at or above 43rd of 183 in the Country Index 2026, which places the region 7th of 22 sub-regions. Czechia is placed highest, 10th; Russia lowest, joint 73rd. 4 reach the world’s top fifth.

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Eastern EuropeUN M49 151

Eastern Europe, shown in red on a map of the world

43rd

median position of 183 · 7th of 22 sub-regions

Europe →median 26th

01Who is in it

The countries of Eastern Europe

Alphabetical, with each country’s own banner photograph. The position is its place in the whole world ranking, never within the region.

02The region

About Eastern Europe

From Poland and Czechia east through Ukraine to Russia.

Eastern Europe, in the UN’s classification, runs from Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary east through Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Belarus and Ukraine to Russia, whose territory stretches across northern Asia to the Pacific. Much of it lies on the great European plain, bordered by the Carpathian Mountains and crossed by rivers such as the Vistula, the Dnieper, the Danube and the Volga.

Slavic peoples settled much of the region in the early Middle Ages, and it was shaped over the centuries by the Polish–Lithuanian, Habsburg, Ottoman and Russian states. After the Second World War most of it came under Soviet influence, and the changes of 1989 to 1991 brought new or restored independence to many of its countries. Slavic languages are spoken across most of the region, alongside Hungarian and Romanian.

03Where

Eastern Europe on the map

Each member shaded by its position in the Country Index 2026, darkest for the best placed; the countries across its land borders in grey. Hover a country for its position, or select it to open its profile.

Country Index position: 1st183rdMember, not placedAcross the border, another regionNot a country this site tracks

04Country Index 2026

Where Eastern Europe’s countries place

Best placed first. Every position is a place in the whole world ranking of 183, never a second list within the region; “=” marks a position shared with another country. Hover the ⓘ for where a country would sit if any one key statistic were dropped.

The full Country Index 2026
Eastern Europe’s 10 placed countries by their Country Index 2026 position, best placed first.
In regionCountryIn the world1st183rd
1Czechia10 / 183between 3rd and 12th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
2Poland29 / 183between 27th and 32nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
3Slovakia31 / 183between 29th and 32nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
4Hungary34 / 183between 33rd and 35th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
5Bulgaria43 / 183between 42nd and 44th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
6Romania44 / 183between 43rd and 45th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
7Moldova46 / 183between 44th and 50th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
8Belarus57 / 183between 53rd and 65th if any one key were dropped · standings on 15 of 16 topics
9Ukraine62 / 183between 58th and 74th if any one key were dropped · standings on 14 of 16 topics
10Russia73 / 183between 70th and 77th if any one key were dropped · standings on 15 of 16 topics

Eastern Europe among the 22 sub-regions with a median

7th of 22. Nothing is weighted by population or size.

  1. Western Europe8thPlaced countries run from Switzerland 1st to France 19th.
  2. Northern Europe11thPlaced countries run from Denmark 2nd to Latvia 26th.
  3. Australia and New Zealand17thPlaced countries run from Australia 17th to New Zealand 19th.
  4. Northern America24thPlaced countries run from Canada 24th to United States 37th.
  5. Southern Europe31stPlaced countries run from Slovenia 14th to Bosnia and Herzegovina 62nd.
  6. Eastern Asia42ndPlaced countries run from South Korea 13th to Mongolia 75th.
  7. Eastern Europe43rdPlaced countries run from Czechia 10th to Russia 73rd.
  8. Central America80thPlaced countries run from Costa Rica 40th to Nicaragua 134th.
  9. Caribbean81stPlaced countries run from Barbados 67th to Haiti 173rd.
  10. South America83rdPlaced countries run from Uruguay 35th to Venezuela 133rd.
  11. South-eastern Asia86thPlaced countries run from Singapore 25th to Myanmar 159th.
  12. Polynesia89thPlaced countries run from Samoa 89th to Tonga 97th.
  13. Western Asia95thPlaced countries run from Cyprus 33rd to Yemen 181st.
  14. Central Asia102ndPlaced countries run from Kazakhstan 61st to Turkmenistan 158th.
  15. Southern Asia106thPlaced countries run from Bhutan 52nd to Afghanistan 175th.
  16. Melanesia107thPlaced countries run from Fiji 64th to Papua New Guinea 144th.
  17. Micronesia109thPlaced countries run from Kiribati 109th to Kiribati 109th.
  18. Northern Africa116thPlaced countries run from Tunisia 104th to Sudan 179th.
  19. Southern Africa121stPlaced countries run from South Africa 93rd to Eswatini 147th.
  20. Western Africa148thPlaced countries run from Cabo Verde 94th to Guinea-Bissau 171st.
  21. Eastern Africa153rdPlaced countries run from Mauritius 45th to South Sudan 183rd.
  22. Middle Africa166thPlaced countries run from São Tomé and Príncipe 115th to Chad 180th.
  23. Europe, the whole continent26th
  24. The world’s midpoint91st
1st183rdmedian

The square is each region’s median position; the grey bar runs from its best-placed to its lowest-placed country. Hover a row for their names.

05By subject

Topic by topic

Every country’s position on each topic, its shade darker the higher it sits in that topic’s field; select a cell for the country’s page on the topic. Strongest for Eastern Europe: Food & Agriculture, 3rd of 22 sub-regions. Weakest: Democracy & Civil Liberties, 12th of 22.

All topics
Eastern Europe: each country’s position on each topic, with the region’s median and its place among sub-regions.
Food & AgricultureEducation & KnowledgePoverty & InequalityRisk & ResilienceWork & LabourDigital & TechnologyDevelopment & Human CapitalEconomy & InnovationGender & EqualityGovernance & InstitutionsHealth & WellbeingEnergyMobility & TradePeace & SecurityEnvironment & SustainabilityDemocracy & Civil LibertiesMoney & Public FinancePeople & Population
Czechia4 of 18426 of 1987 of 1596 of 19324 of 18222 of 19826 of 19624 of 17632 of 18322 of 19423 of 20065 of 16518 of 17710 of 177137 of 18620 of 198No standingNo standing
Poland15 of 1843 of 19824 of 15948 of 19347 of 18228 of 19821 of 19645 of 17612 of 18337 of 19420 of 20082 of 16536 of 17764 of 177151 of 18645 of 198No standingNo standing
Slovakia20 of 18426 of 19835 of 15918 of 19353 of 18286 of 19831 of 19622 of 17639 of 18344 of 19444 of 20040 of 16520 of 17754 of 17775 of 18656 of 198No standingNo standing
Hungary14 of 18452 of 19859 of 15919 of 19339 of 18232 of 19843 of 19623 of 17650 of 18352 of 19465 of 20044 of 16526 of 17738 of 17768 of 186105 of 198No standingNo standing
Bulgaria25 of 18467 of 19882 of 15927 of 19344 of 18264 of 19839 of 19655 of 17626 of 18359 of 19455 of 20064 of 16579 of 17784 of 177126 of 18696 of 198No standingNo standing
Romania23 of 184129 of 19844 of 15966 of 193122 of 18268 of 19853 of 19643 of 17648 of 18343 of 19485 of 20046 of 16566 of 17766 of 17778 of 18679 of 198No standingNo standing
Moldova73 of 1847 of 19818 of 15978 of 19311 of 18251 of 19884 of 19698 of 17615 of 18347 of 194128 of 200134 of 165138 of 17767 of 17773 of 18686 of 198No standingNo standing
Belarus75 of 18435 of 1981 of 15915 of 1938 of 18265 of 19857 of 19649 of 176119 of 183153 of 19434 of 200106 of 165No standing146 of 177153 of 186189 of 198No standingNo standing
Ukraine106 of 184105 of 1983 of 15987 of 193No standing23 of 19865 of 19683 of 17656 of 183121 of 19497 of 200No standing94 of 177156 of 17797 of 186115 of 198No standingNo standing
Russia40 of 18483 of 19838 of 15986 of 19313 of 18234 of 19842 of 19666 of 176122 of 183148 of 19473 of 200No standing62 of 177171 of 177166 of 186183 of 198No standingNo standing
Region median23rd of 18435th of 19824th of 15927th of 19339th of 18234th of 19842nd of 19645th of 17639th of 18347th of 19455th of 20064th of 16562nd of 17766th of 17797th of 18686th of 198——
Among sub-regions3rd of 224th of 224th of 214th of 225th of 216th of 227th of 227th of 217th of 217th of 227th of 2210th of 2110th of 2210th of 2011th of 2112th of 22——

Columns run from the topic where Eastern Europe places best among sub-regions to the one where it places lowest. A region’s median on a topic needs at least two members with a standing; a hatched cell has no standing.

06In numbers

Eastern Europe in 6 numbers

Each line is every country in the world at its published value; Eastern Europe’s countries are the red ticks, and the dashed line is the world median. There is no regional average: a region has countries, not a life expectancy of its own.

All statistics

  • Population

    people · log scale

    UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · 222 countries · no better end

    MoldovaRussia496world median 6,541,4131,438,069,596

  • Land area

    km²

    FAO · 2024 · 221 countries · no better end

    MoldovaRussia0.4world median 87,58916,376,870

  • GDP per person

    international $, PPP · log scale

    World Bank Group · 2025 · 185 countries · higher is better

    UkraineCzechia1,067world median 17,265139,593

  • Life expectancy

    years at birth

    UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · 222 countries · higher is better

    MoldovaCzechia54.46world median 74.6386.37

  • Human development

    HDI, 0–1

    UNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · 193 countries · higher is better

    UkraineCzechia0.388world median 0.7620.972

  • Unemployment

    % of the labour force

    ILO · 2025 · 182 countries · lower is better

    No reading: Ukraine

    MoldovaRomania0.13world median 5.08434.2
Every value for Eastern Europe’s countries
CountryPopulation 2023Land area 2024GDP per person 2025Life expectancy 2023Human development 2023Unemployment 2025
Belarus9,115,680rank 99202,976rank 8429,666rank 6374.43rank 1150.824rank 653.38rank 128
Bulgaria6,795,803rank 110108,560rank 10135,326rank 5675.64rank 1020.845rank 553.536rank 124
Czechia10,809,716rank 8777,156rank 11449,292rank 3279.83rank 530.915rank 292.825rank 149
Hungary9,686,463rank 9691,260rank 10941,161rank 4677.02rank 850.87rank 464.521rank 108
Moldova3,067,070rank 13732,930rank 13517,087rank 9571.2rank 1480.785rank 861.505rank 173
Poland38,762,844rank 39306,070rank 7046,925rank 4078.63rank 620.906rank 352.976rank 144
Romania19,118,479rank 67230,080rank 8140,846rank 4775.94rank 990.845rank 555.992rank 71
Russia145,440,500rank 916,376,870rank 142,358rank 4473.15rank 1250.832rank 642.133rank 165
Slovakia5,518,055rank 11948,080rank 12840,690rank 4878.34rank 640.88rank 445.359rank 84
Ukraine37,732,836rank 40579,400rank 4616,155rank 9973.42rank 1240.779rank 87—

07In records

Eastern Europe in records

The member at the extreme of each statistic, read from its newest edition. Where two members share the top, no record is named.

08Latest editions

Who rose and fell in the published ranks

The moves of Eastern Europe’s countries between each report’s two newest editions, in the publisher’s own ranks. A report whose field changed by more than 5% is left out.

Ranks as published by UNDP Human Development Report Office in the Human Development Index: reference years 2022 (192 countries ranked) → 2023 (193 ranked), both from its 2025 report.

Improved most

rank before → after
  1. Ukraine90 → 87+3
  2. Bulgaria57 → 55+2

Declined most

rank before → after
  1. Moldova82 → 86−4
  2. Russia61 → 64−3
  3. Poland33 → 35−2
Every country in the Human Development Index

09In context

Across the border

The countries outside Eastern Europe that share a land border with one of its members, with their world positions, and the sub-regions they belong to. Land borders only, as drawn on the map.

Central Asia

Western Europe

The neighbouring sub-regions

10Keep reading

Explore further

All regions

The rest of Europe

11Method

Questions, method and sources

Which countries are in Eastern Europe?

10 countries and territories: Belarus, Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine. Membership follows the United Nations’ M49 classification.

Which country in Eastern Europe is placed highest?

Czechia, placed 10th of 183 in the Country Index 2026. Russia is placed lowest, joint 73rd. 10 of the region’s 10 countries and territories are placed; the rest hold standings on too few topics.

How does Eastern Europe compare with other regions?

Half of its 10 placed countries sit at or above 43rd of 183, which places it 7th of 22 sub-regions. The median across Europe is 26th. The middle of the whole field is 91st. Nothing is weighted by population or size.

How many people live in Eastern Europe?

286,047,446 in 2023, the sum of the UN DESA Population Division’s figures for its 10 countries and territories.

What is the largest country in Eastern Europe?

By land area, Russia: 16,376,870 square kilometres (2024). By population, Russia: 145,440,500 people (2023).

How a region’s figure is made
  1. Membership. Countries belong to regions by the United Nations’ M49 classification; each country declares its sub-region, and a continent is the sum of its sub-regions.
  2. Positions. Each country’s position is its Country Index 2026 result, unchanged. This page slices the world ranking by place; it does not re-rank anyone.
  3. The median. A region’s figure is the median of its placed countries’ positions: half sit at or above it, half below. With an even number of placed countries it takes the better of the two middle positions, since there is no country at a half place. Countries the index does not place are named, never counted in.
  4. A place among peers. Continents are compared with continents and sub-regions with sub-regions, never a part with the whole that contains it; regions sharing a median share a place. Nothing is weighted by population or size, and population and land area are the only figures ever added up.

Where the regions come from

United Nations Statistics Division, Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49). M49’s middle level (Sub-Saharan Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean) is left out, so every sub-region sits directly under its continent. Kosovo, Northern Cyprus and Somaliland are not in M49 and are placed by geography.

Where the positions come from

Every position is a country’s result in the Country Index 2026 or one of its topics, unchanged. The population and land-area figures are the UN DESA Population Division’s and the FAO’s, added up and shown with their year; every other statistic names its publisher beside its numbers.

Photographs

Each country’s own banner from its profile: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Eastern Europe: countries, population and rankings, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/regions/eastern-europe

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