The Demographics of Poland is about the demographic features of the population of Poland, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

According to the estimates of Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS), at the end of 2007 Poland had a population of 38,115,000, which translates into population density of 122 people/km² (urban 1105, rural 50). 61.5% of Polish population lives in the urban areas, a number which is slowly diminishing. Poland is the 33rd most populous country in the world (9th in Europe, with 5.4% of European population). Total population of Poland is decreasing (population growth was -0,04%). Average life expectancy was 70.5 for men and 78.9 for women. Population distribution is uneven. From ethnic perspective, Poland is very homogeneous, with 96.7% of population being Polish.

A number of censuses have assessed this data, including a national census in 2002, and a survey by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (HFHR), which confirmed there are numerous autochthonous ethnic groups in Poland. Estimates by INTEREG and Eurominority present a similar demographics picture of Poland but they provide estimates only for the most numerous of the autochthonous ethnic groups.

Historical

For many centuries, until the end of Second World War, the Polish population was composed of many significant ethnic minorities. The population of Poland decreased due to the losses sustained during World War II, and became one of the most ethnically homogeneous in the world as a result of the radically altered borders after the war and the subsequent migrations. This homogeneity is a result of post-World War II deportations ordered by the Soviet authorities, who wished to remove the sizable Polish minorities from Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine and deportations of Ukrainians from Poland.

Nationalities

96.7% of the people of Poland claim Polish nationality, and 97.8% declare that they speak Polish at home (Census 2002).

Largest metropolitan and urban areas

Demographics by voivodeship

Statistics

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

Population

38,482,919 (July 2009 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.047% (2009 est.)

Birth rate

10.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

There were 389,000 births in 2007 compared to 374,244 in 2006.

Death rate

10.05 deaths/1,000 population (2009 est.)

There were 372,000 deaths in 2007 compared to 369,000 in 2006.

Net migration rate

-0.47 migrants/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Total asylum seekers admitted

94,500 (2006)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15% (male 2,964,995/female 2,802,278)
15-64 years: 71.6% (male 13,713,078/female 13,845,251)
65 years and over: 13.4% (male 1,966,406/female 3,190,911) (2009 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.62 male(s)/female
total population:
0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.63 years
male: 71.65 years
female: 78.85 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.28 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Ethnic groups

Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Byelorussian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other 0.7%, unspecified 2.7% (Census 2002)

Religions

Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002 census)

see Religion in Poland and Catholic Church in Poland

Languages

Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (Census 2002)

Literacy

definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
99.8%
male:
99.8%
female:
99.7% (2003 est.)