Poland possesses an industrialized, mixed economy with a developed market, ranking as the sixth-largest in the European Union by nominal GDP and fifth-largest by GDP (PPP). It features extensive public services akin to most developed economies, including universal free public healthcare and education, comprehensive childcare provisions, and parental leave. Despite pursuing economic liberalization since 1988, Poland has maintained an advanced public welfare system, earning recognition as a successful post-communist state. It holds the classification of a high-income economy by the World Bank, standing at 20th worldwide in terms of GDP (PPP), 21st in nominal GDP, and 21st in the 2023 Economic Complexity Index.
The service sector is the largest component of Poland's economy, accounting for 62.3%, followed by industry at 34.2%, and agriculture at 3.5%. Since the economic reform of 1989, Poland's external debt has surged from $42.2 billion to $365.2 billion in 2014. In 2017, Poland exported goods worth US$224.6 billion, with exports reaching US$221.4 billion. Key export items include machinery, electronic equipment, vehicles, furniture, and plastics. Notably, Poland was the sole EU economy to sidestep a recession during the 2007–08 economic downturn.
By 2019, Poland had maintained steady economic growth for 28 consecutive years, a remarkable feat within the EU. This achievement was second only to Australia in the global economy. Over the last two decades, GDP per capita at purchasing power parity has increased by an average of 6% per annum, the highest in Central Europe. Poland's GDP has surged seven-fold since 1990.