Přehled zemí regionu střední a východní Evropy
Why CEE? Read about key CEE markets in brief! Download our PDF leaflet on Central & Eastern Europe
A total of 10 countries joined the EU as of May 1, 2004, including 8 Central/Eastern European countries, Malta and Cyprus. Another two CEE countries – Bulgaria and Romania – joined the EU on January 1, 2007. Finally, Croatia joined as of 1 July, 2013
The table below provides a comparative overview of all 21 countries of the CEE region, of which 11 are EU members and 10 are not.
| COUNTRY | CAPITAL | AREA | POPUL. | UNEMPLOY. | GDP/CAPITA | GDP | GDP real growth rate (annual percent change) | |||
| (sq. km) | (mil.) | (%, 2017) | (PPP, USD 2018) | (current p., USD billion, 2018) | (2019) | (est. 2020) | (est. 2021) | |||
| AL | Albania | Tirana | 28,748 | 2.9 | 13.8 | 13,836 | 15.1 | 2.2 | -5 | 8 |
| BY | Belarus | Minsk | 207,600 | 9.5 | 5.7 | 19,345 | 60.0 | 1.2 | -6 | 3.5 |
| BA | Bosnia & Herzegovina | Sarajevo | 51,197 | 3.5 | 20.5 | 14,962 | 20.2 | 2.7 | -5 | 3.5 |
| BG | Bulgaria | Sofia | 110,910 | 7.2 | 6.2 | 22,305 | 65.1 | 3.4 | -4 | 6 |
| HR | Croatia | Zagreb | 56,542 | 4.2 | 11.2 | 28,115 | 61.0 | 2.9 | -9 | 4.9 |
| CZ | Czech Republic | Prague | 78,866 | 10.5 | 2.9 | 40,429 | 245.2 | 2.6 | -6.5 | 7.5 |
| EE | Estonia | Tallinn | 45,226 | 1.3 | 5.8 | 36,358 | 30.7 | 4.3 | -7.5 | 7.9 |
| HU | Hungary | Budapest | 93,030 | 9.9 | 4.2 | 31,579 | 157.9 | 4.9 | -3.1 | 4.2 |
| Kosovo | Pristina | 10,887 | 1.8 | 30.3 | 10,869 | 7.9 | 4.0 | -5 | 7.5 | |
| LV | Latvia | Riga | 64,589 | 2.0 | 8.7 | 30,745 | 34.4 | 2.2 | -8.6 | 8.3 |
| LT | Lithuania | Vilnius | 65,300 | 2.9 | 7.1 | 35,832 | 53.4 | 3.9 | -8.1 | 8.2 |
| MK | Macedonia | Skopje | 25,333 | 2.1 | 27.3 | 14,009 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 | |
| MD | Moldova | Kishinev | 33,851 | 2.9 | 4.1 | 12,565 | 11.4 | 3.6 | -3 | 4.1 |
| ME | Montenegro | Podgorica | 14,026 | 0.6 | 16.1 | 21,301 | 5.5 | 3.6 | -9 | 6.5 |
| PL | Poland | Warsaw | 312,679 | 38.0 | 4.9 | 31,756 | 585.7 | 4.1 | -4.6 | 4.2 |
| RO | Romania | Bucharest | 237,500 | 19.9 | 4.9 | 29,061 | 239.6 | 4.1 | -5 | 3.9 |
| RU | Russia | Moscow | 17,075,200 | 143.8 | 5.2 | 28,556 | 1,657.6 | 1.3 | -5.5 | 3.5 |
| YU | Serbia | Belgrade | 77,474 | 7.1 | 13.5 | 17,617 | 50.6 | 4.2 | -3 | 7.5 |
| SK | Slovakia | Bratislava | 48,845 | 5.4 | 8.1 | 32,617 | 105.9 | 2.3 | -6.2 | 5.0 |
| SI | Slovenia | Ljubljana | 20,273 | 2.1 | 6.6 | 38,749 | 54.0 | 2.4 | -8 | 5.4 |
| UA | Ukraine | Kiev | 603,700 | 45.3 | 9.5 | 9,249 | 130.8 | 3.2 | -7.7 | 3.6 |
Source: CIA – The World Factbook; World Bank; European Commission Forecasts; International Monetary Fund
GDP real growth rate
The 2019 best performing economies were Hungary (4.9%), Estonia (4.3%) and Serbia (3.2%). For 2021, the IMF forecasts growth for all of the CEE countries, with Latvia and Lithuania heading the group.
GDP per capita (purchasing power parity)
In terms of GDP per capita, the Czech Republic (population 10 mil.) has overtaken Slovenia (population 2 million) as the region’s leader. The following graph shows GDP per capita in the 14 CEE countries covered by EasyLink’s market research and international trade consultancy services.
Quality and cost of living: Prague – best place to live in Central & Eastern Europe
According to the 2019 PICSA index conducted by D&L Partners consulting, Prague ranked 13th among 113 cities worldwide in terms of quality of life. The ranking is based on a point-scoring index evaluating criteria such as income, education, housing or safety divided into three pillars. Prague has therefore overtaken cities like Seattle, Amsterdam, Berlin or Madrid. Another Czech city, Brno, placed 58th in the ranking and the capital city of Slovakia, Bratislava, placed 21st.
Of the top twenty cities, fifteen are in Europe, four in North America and one in Asia. At the top of the ranking stands Zurich with an overall score of 78.2 points in comparison to Prague, which obtained 66.8 points.
The survey covers 113 cities across five continents and differentiates cities from developed and emerging markets. The best performing city in the emerging market is St. Petersburg in overall 50th place, followed by Bucharest (53th) and Moscow (59th).
Market Research in Central Europe and Eastern Europe
EasyLink provides professional expertise in strategic market research, market intelligence, competitive intelligence, market size analysis and market potential evaluation, competitive landscape and distribution structure study, identification of new customers and potential partners etc. Please contact us to discuss how we can assist your business objectives in export, marketing or sourcing.
Customer Search & Partner Search in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE)
We are experienced experts in matchmaking projects involving the search, identification, screening and pre-selection of business partners in Central & Eastern Europe, ranging from distributor search to profiling of prospective customers and identifying specific business opportunities; we assist our clients with sourcing in emerging markets and low-cost markets in the CEE region.
International Trade Consultancy – Export, Marketing and Trade Promotion in the CEE region
EasyLink has a unique track record in international trade promotion. With local consultants in all key markets in Central & Eastern Europe, EU markets and some overseas markets, we provide customized market research, develop trade opportunities with prospective partners and new customers, and assist clients with strategic advice for their export, marketing and sourcing needs.