Map of Poland | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795 Russia Prussia and Austria partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war but its government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union 'Solidarity' that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A 'shock therapy' program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe but Poland still faces the lingering challenges of high unemployment underdeveloped and dilapidated infrastructure and a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic market-oriented country largely completed Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.


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Location: Central Europe east of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N 20 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 312,685 km²
Land: 304,465 km²
Water: 8,220 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries
Total: 3,056 km
Border countries: (6) Belarus 416 km; , Czech Republic 790 km; , Germany 467 km; , Lithuania 103 km; , Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km; , Slovakia 541 km; , Ukraine 529 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Climate: temperate with cold cloudy moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers

Terrain: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
Extremes highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources: coal sulfur copper natural gas silver lead salt amber arable land

Land use
Arable land: 40.25%
Permanent crops: 1%
Other: 58.75% (2005)

Irrigated land: 1000 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: flooding

Geography
Note: historically an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain


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Population: 38,518,241 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: -0.046% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: 17% (2003 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Pole
Adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups: Polish 96.7% German 0.4% Belarusian 0.1% Ukrainian 0.1% other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)

Languages: Polish 97.8% other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.5% (male 3,070,388/female 2,906,121)
15-64 years: 71.1% (male 13,639,012/female 13,761,154)
65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,964,429/female 3,177,137) (2007 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 37.3 years
Male: 35.4 years
Female: 39.3 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.046% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 9.94 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 9.94 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.46 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem as is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial establishments bring their facilities up to EU code but at substantial cost to business and the government
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.057 male/female
15-64 years: 0.991 male/female
65 years and over: 0.618 male/female
Total population: 0.941 male/female (2007 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.07 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 7.8 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.3 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.19 years
Male: 71.18 years
Female: 79.44 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.26 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 14,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: 100 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.8%
Male: 99.8%
Female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Poland
Conventional short form: Poland
Local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
Local short form: Polska

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Warsaw
Geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (wojewodztwa singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie wojewodztwo Kujawsko-Pomorskie wojewodztwo Lodzkie wojewodztwo Lubelskie wojewodztwo Lubuskie wojewodztwo Malopolskie wojewodztwo Mazowieckie wojewodztwo Opolskie wojewodztwo Podkarpackie wojewodztwo Podlaskie wojewodztwo Pomorskie wojewodztwo Slaskie wojewodztwo Swietokrzyskie wojewodztwo Warminsko-Mazurskie wojewodztwo Wielkopolskie wojewodztwo Zachodniopomorskie wojewodztwo

Dependent areas

Independence: 11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)

National holiday: Constitution Day 3 May (1791)

Constitution: adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 25 May 1997; effective 17 October 1997

Legal system: based on a mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Lech KACZYNSKI (since 23 December 2005)
Head of government: Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 16 November 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Waldemar PAWLAK (since 16 November 2007) and Grzegorz SCHETYNA (since 16 November 2007)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 and 23 October 2005 (next to be held in the fall 2010); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm
Election results: Lech KACZYNSKI elected president; percent of popular vote - Lech KACZYNSKI 54%, Donald Tusk 46%

Legislative branch
Elections: Senate - last held 21 September 2007 (next to be held by September 2011); Sejm elections last held 21 September 2007 (next to be held by September 2011)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PO 60, PiS 39, independents 1; Sejm - percent of vote by party - PO 41.5%, PiS 32.1%, SLD 13.2%, PSL 8.9%, other 4.3%; seats by party - PO 209, PiS 166, SLD 53, PSL 31, German minorities 1
Note: one seat is assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL [Artur BALASZ]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wojciech OLEJNICZAK]; Democratic Party or PD [Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ]; Dom Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Roman GIERTYCH]; Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Ruch Patriotyczny or RP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Andrzej SPYCHALSKI]

International organization participation: ACCT (observer) Arctic Council (observer) Australia Group BIS BSEC (observer) CBSS CE CEI CERN EAPC EBRD EIB EU FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICRM IDA IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MINURSO MONUC NAM (guest) NATO NSG OAS (observer) OECD OIF (observer) OPCW OSCE PCA UN UNCTAD UNDOF UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNMEE UNMIL UNMIS UNOCI UNOMIG UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WEU (associate) WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Janusz REITER
In the us chancery: 2,640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 234-3,800 through 3,802
In the us fax: [1] (202) 328-6,271
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE
From the us embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20,521-5,010 (pouch)
From the us telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
From the us fax: [48] (22) 504-2,688
From the us consulates general: Krakow

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization since 1990 and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. In 2006 GDP grew 5.3% based on rising private consumption a 16.7% jump in investment and burgeoning exports. Poland today has a thriving private sector which created more than 300,000 new jobs during 2006 alone. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic states. Consumer price inflation - at 1.3% in 2006 - remains among the lowest in the EU. Since 2004 EU membership and access to EU structural funds has provided a major boost to the economy. Inflows of direct foreign investment exceeded $10 billion in 2006 alone - and more than $100 billion since 1990 - with major investments being announced by foreign firms in computer consumer electronics and automobile component production. In early 2006 Poland reached agreement with its EU partners that will permit it to benefit from EU funds totaling nearly $80 billion during 2007-13. Since 2002 even though the zloty appreciated 30% Poland's exports more than doubled. Despite Poland's successes more remains to be done. Unemployment which stood at 15% in December 2006 is still the highest in the EU. An inefficient commercial court system a rigid labor code bureaucratic red tape and persistent corruption keep the private sector from performing to its potential. Agriculture is handicapped by inefficient small farms and inadequate investment. Restructuring and privatization of the remaining state-owned industries especially 'sensitive sectors' such as coal oil refining railroads and energy transmission and generation have stalled due to concerns about loss of control over critical national assets and lay-offs. Reforms in health care education the pension system and state administration have failed so far to reduce the government budget deficit which was roughly 2.7 percent of GDP in 2006. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on reducing losses in Polish state enterprises restraining entitlements and overhauling the tax code. The previous Socialist-led government introduced a package of social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public spending by about $17 billion through 2007 but full implementation of the plan was trumped by election-year politics in 2005. The right-wing Law and Justice party won parliamentary elections in September 2005 and Lech KACZYNSKI won the presidential election in October running on a state-interventionist fiscal and monetary platform. The new government has proceeded cautiously on economic matters however retaining for example the corporate income tax cuts initiated by the previous administration and indicating its intention to reduce the top personal income tax rate.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $554.5 billion (2006 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 6.1% (2006 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $14,400 (2006 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.5%
Industry: 31.7%
Services: 63.8% (2006 est.)

Agriculture products: potatoes fruits vegetables wheat; poultry eggs pork dairy

Industries: machine building iron and steel coal mining chemicals shipbuilding food processing glass beverages textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 10.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 16.94 million (2006 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 16.1%
By occupation industry: 29%
By occupation services: 54.9% (2002)

Unemployment rate: 14.9% (2006 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 17% (2003 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.1%
Highest 10: 27% (2002)

Distribution of family income gini index: 34.5 (2002)

Budget
Revenues: $63.7 billion
Expenditures: $71.78 billion (2006 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 45.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1% (2006 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares: $149.1 billion (2006)

Current account balance: $-7.926 billion (2006 est.)

Exports: $117.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment 37.8% intermediate manufactured goods 23.7% miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1% food and live animals 7.6% (2003)
Partners: Germany 27.2% Italy 6.6% France 6.2% UK 5.7% Czech Republic 5.6% Russia 4.3% (2006)

Imports: $122.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38% intermediate manufactured goods 21% chemicals 14.8% minerals fuels lubricants and related materials 9.1% (2003)
Partners: Germany 29% Russia 9.6% Italy 6.4% Netherlands 5.7% France 5.4% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $48.48 billion (2006 est.)

Debt external: $121.5 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $104.2 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $10.68 billion (2006 est.)

Exchange rates
Note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty


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Electricity
Production: 146.2 billion kWh (2005)
Consumption: 120.4 billion kWh (2005)
Exports: 16.19 billion kWh (2005)
Imports: 5.002 billion kWh (2005)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 5.828 billion m³ (2005)
Consumption: 15.58 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Exports: 42.2 million m³ (2005 est.)
Imports: 10.01 billion m³ (2005)
Proven reserves: 158.1 billion m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 11.475 million (2006)
Mobile cellular: 36.746 million (2006)

Telephone system
General assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has accelerated with market based competition finalized in 2003; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is dwarfed by the growth in wireless telephony
Domestic: wireless service, available since 1993 (GSM service available since 1996) and provided by three nation-wide networks, has grown rapidly in response to the weak fixed-line coverage; third generation UMTS service available in urban areas; cellular coverage is generally good with more gaps in the east; fixed-line service is growing slowly and still lags in rural areas
International: country code - 48; international direct dialing with automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .pl
Hosts: 5.681 million (2007)
Users: 11 million (2006)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 1.71% (2005 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for male compulsory military service after January 1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscript service obligation shortened from 12 to 9 months in 2005; by 2008 plans call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004 women are only allowed to serve as officers and noncommissioned officers (2006)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 123 (2007)
With paved runways total: 83
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 30
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 39
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With paved runways under 914 m: 3 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 40
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 13
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 22 (2007)

Heliports: 7 (2007)

Pipelines: gas 13,552 km; oil 1384 km; refined products 777 km (2006)

Railways
Total: 23,072 km
Broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge
Standard gauge: 22,443 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational; 11,910 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways
Total: 423,997 km
Paved: 295,356 km (includes 484 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 128,641 km (2004)

Waterways: 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2006)

Merchant marine
Total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 55,701 GRT/45,082 DWT
By type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1
Foreign owned: 1 (Nigeria 1)
Registered in other countries: 102 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Bahamas 15, Cyprus 18, Liberia 14, Malta 25, Norway 3, Panama 15, Slovakia 2, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1, Vanuatu 7) (2007)

Ports and terminals: Gdansk Gdynia Swinoujscie Szczecin


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Disputes international: as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: despite diligent counternarcotics measures and international information sharing on cross-border crimes a major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe