Quick facts
Kraków overview
Kraków (orange) and the other large cities of Poland
Kraków lies in Lesser Poland in Poland at 50.06°N, 19.94°E, about 219 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Warsaw (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Warsaw (1,702,139) and larger than Wrocław (672,545). The largest city in Poland is Warsaw with 1,702,139 people; the capital, Warsaw, has 1,702,139.
The national capital, Warsaw, is about 253 km away; the nearest large city is Dąbrowa Górnicza, 60 km from Kraków.
Poland as a whole has a live population of 37,800,640 (-0.4% a year) and ranks #42 of 238 countries — see the Poland population page for the full statistics and the Poland atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Kraków
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Dąbrowa Górnicza Silesia | 60 km | 116,971 |
| Sosnowiec Silesia | 64 km | 227,295 |
| Katowice Silesia | 69 km | 286,960 |
| Bielsko-Biala Silesia | 69 km | 176,515 |
| Tychy Silesia | 70 km | 130,000 |
| Chorzów Silesia | 74 km | 113,430 |
| Tarnów Lesser Poland | 75 km | 117,799 |
| Bytom Silesia | 78 km | 189,186 |
Largest cities in Poland
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kraków?
Kraków has about 816,614 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Kraków the capital of Poland?
No. The capital of Poland is Warsaw (1,702,139 people), about 253 km away. Kraków is the 2nd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Kraków compared with the rest of Poland?
Its 816,614 residents are 2.2% of the 37,800,640 people living in Poland today. Warsaw is larger with 1,702,139 people.
Where is Kraków?
In Lesser Poland, Poland, at latitude 50.06 and longitude 19.94, 219 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Dąbrowa Górnicza (60 km), Sosnowiec (64 km), Katowice (69 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Kraków Population 2026 — Poland. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/poland/krakow/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/poland/krakow/">Kraków Population 2026 — Poland</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.