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

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Background: Poland's history as a state began near the middle of the 10th century. By the mid-16th century the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth ruled a vast tract of land in central and eastern Europe. During the 18th century internal disorders weakened the nation and in a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795 Russia Prussia and Austria partitioned Poland among 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 with over 10 million members. Free elections in 1989 and 1990 won Solidarity control of the parliament and the presidency bringing the communist era to a close. A 'shock therapy' program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic market-oriented country largely completed and with large investments in defense energy and other infrastructure 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: 304,255 km²
Water: 8,430 km²
Rank: 70
Comparative: about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries
Total: 3,071 km
Border countries: (6) Belarus 418 km; Czech Republic 796 km; Germany 467 km; Lithuania 104 km; Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km; Slovakia 541 km; Ukraine 535 km

Coastline: 440 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
Agricultural land: 48.2%
Forest: 30.6%
Other: 21.2%

Irrigated land: 1157 km² (2007)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 61.6 km³ (2011)

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: 38,562,189 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 35
Growth rate: -0.09% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 206
Below poverty line: 10.6% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Pole
Adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups: Polish 96.9% Silesian 1.1% German 0.2% Ukrainian 0.1% other and unspecified 1.7%
Note: represents ethnicity declared first

Languages: Polish (official) 98.2% Silesian 1.4% other 1.1% unspecified 1.3%
Note: data represents the language spoken at home; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; Poland ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2009 recognizing Kashub as a regional language Czech Hebrew Yiddish Belarusian Lithuanian German Armenian Russian Slovak and Ukrainian as national minority languages and Karaim Lemko Romani and Tatar as ethnic minority languages (2011 est.)

Religions: Catholic 87.2% (includes Roman Catholic 86.9% and Greek Catholic Armenian Catholic and Byzantine-Slavic Catholic .3%) Orthodox 1.3% (almost all are Polish Autocephalous Orthodox) Protestant 0.4% (mainly Augsburg Evangelical and Pentacostal) other 0.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness Buddhist Hare Krishna Gaudiya Vaishnavism Muslim Jewish Mormon) unspecified 10.8% (2012 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 14.7%
15-24 years: 11.52%
25-54 years: 43.56%
55-64 years: 14.54%
65 years and over: 15.67% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 43.8%
Youth dependency ratio: 21.5%
Elderly dependency ratio: 22.3%
Potential support ratio: 4.5%

Median age
Total: 39.9 years
Male: 38.2 years
Female: 41.6 years

Population growth rate: -0.09% (2015 est.)
Rank: 206

Birth rate: 9.74 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 200

Death rate: 10.19 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 39

Net migration rate: -0.46 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 134

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 60.5% of total population
Rate of urbanization: -0.1% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: WARSAW (capital) 1.722 million; Krakow 760,000 (2015)

Environment
Current issues: decreased emphasis on heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-communist governments has improved environment; air pollution remains serious because of 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
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 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
0-14 years: 1.06 male/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male/female
Total population: 0.94 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.5 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 4.89 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.09 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 182

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.4 years
Male: 73.53 years
Female: 81.5 years
Rank: 71

Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 216

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 2.22 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 6.5 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 115
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis
Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 27% (2014)
Rank: 56

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.9% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 65

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.8%
Male: 99.9%
Female: 99.7%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 16 years

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
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (wojewodztwa singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia) Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania) Lodzkie (Lodz) Lubelskie (Lublin) Lubuskie (Lubusz) Malopolskie (Lesser Poland) Mazowieckie (Masovia) Opolskie (Opole) Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia) Podlaskie Pomorskie (Pomerania) Slaskie (Silesia) Swietokrzyskie (Holy Cross) Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria) Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland) Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)

Dependent areas

Independence: 11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 966 (adoption of Christianity traditional founding date) 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)

National holiday: Constitution Day 3 May (1791)

Constitution: several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997 approved by referendum 25 May 1997 effective 17 October 1997; amended 2006 2009 (2013)

Legal system: civil law system; changes gradually being introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Andrzej DUDA
Head of government: Prime Minister Ewa KOPACZ ; Deputy Prime Ministers Janusz PIECHOCINSKI (since 6 December 2012) and Tomasz SIEMONIAK (since 22 September 2014)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister appointed by the president and approved by the Sejm
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; election last held on 10 and 24 May 2015 (next to be held in 2020); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm
Election results: Andrzej DUDA elected president; percent of vote in runoff - Andrzej DUDA 51.5% Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI 48.5%

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Senat and the Sejm (460 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the designation National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
Note: the German minority is exempt from the 5% threshold requirement for seats to the Sejm
Elections: Senate - last held on 9 October 2011 ; Sejm - last held on 9 October 2011 (next to be held on 25 October 2015)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PO 63 PiS 29 PSL 2 SP 2 independent 4; seats by party as of 26 February 2015 - PO 63 PiS 31 PSL 2 independent 4; Sejm - percent of vote by party - PO 39.2% PiS 29.9% RP 10% PSL 8.4% SLD 8.2% other 4.3%; seats by party - PO 206 PiS 137 RP 43 PSL 28 SLD 25 SP 19 independent 1 German minority 1; seats by party as of 26 February 2015 - PO 202 PiS 132 TR 16 PSL 39 SLD 34 KPSP 15 independent 21 German Minority 1

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court or Sad Najwyzszy
Judge selection and term of office: president of the Supreme Court nominated by the General Assembly of the Supreme Court and selected by the president of Poland; other judges nominated by the 25-member National Judiciary Council and appointed by the president of Poland; judges appointed until retirement usually at age 65 but tenure can be extended
Subordinate courts: Constitutional Tribunal; regional and appellate courts subdivided into military civil criminal labor and family courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: Arctic Council (observer) Australia Group BIS BSEC (observer) CBSS CD CE CEI CERN EAPC EBRD ECB EIB ESA EU FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICCt ICRM IDA IEA IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA MONUSCO NATO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OIF (observer) OPCW OSCE PCA Schengen Convention UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMIL UNMISS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ryszard SCHNEPF
In the us chancery: 2,640 16th Street NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] 234-3,800 through 3,802
In the us FAX: [1] 328-6,271
In the us consulate general: Chicago Los Angeles New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen MULL
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
From the us telephone: [48] 504-2000
From the us FAX: [48] 504-2,688
From the us consulate general: Krakow

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; colors derive from the Polish emblem - a white eagle on a red field
Note: similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red and white

National symbols: white eagle; national colors: white red

National anthem
Name: 'Mazurek Dabrowskiego'
Lyrics and music: Jozef WYBICKI/traditional
Note: adopted 1927; the anthem commonly known as 'Jeszcze Polska nie zginela' was written in 1797; the lyrics resonate strongly with Poles because they reflect the numerous occasions in which the nation's lands have been occupied

National heritage


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Economy overview: Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization since 1990 and Poland's economy was the only one in the EU to avoid a recession through the 2008-09 economic downturn. Although EU membership and access to EU structural funds have provided a major boost to the economy since 2004 GDP per capita remains significantly below the EU average. The unemployment rate is now below the EU average. The government of Prime Minister Donald TUSK steered the Polish economy through the economic downturn by skillfully managing public finances and adopting controversial pension and tax reforms to further shore up public finances. While the Polish economy has performed well over the past five years growth slowed in 2013 and picked back up in 2014. Short-term the key policy challenge will be to consolidate debt and spending without stifling economic growth. Over the longer term Poland's economic performance could improve if the country addresses some of the remaining deficiencies in its road and rail infrastructure business environment rigid labor code commercial court system government red tape and burdensome tax system especially for entrepreneurs. Poland’s long-term challenges include diversifying Poland’s energy mix and sources of supply as well as stemming the outflow of educated young Poles to other EU Member States especially in light of a coming demographic contraction as the Solidarity-era baby boom generation ages.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 25

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 98

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 72

Gross national saving:
Rank: 86

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 61.1%
Government consumption: 17.9%
Investment in fixed capital: 18.7%
Investment in inventories: 0.6%
Exports of goods and services: 49.2%
Imports of goods and services: -47.5%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.7%
Industry: 32%
Services: 64.3%

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: 5.5% (2014 est.)
Rank: 47

Labor force: 18.26 million (2014 est.)
Rank: 33
By occupation agriculture: 12.9%
By occupation industry: 30.2%
By occupation services: 57%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 131

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 10.6% (2008 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.3%
Highest 10: 27.1%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 95

Budget
Revenues: $92.96 billion
Expenditures: $101.5 billion
Surplus or deficit: -1.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 70

Taxes and other revenues: 16.8% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 182

Public debt:
Note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities the data include subnational entities as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds such as for retirement medical care and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Rank: 79

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 27

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 87

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 129

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 24

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 33

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 35

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 35

Current account balance:
Rank: 172

Exports:
Rank: 27
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment 37.8% intermediate manufactured goods 23.7% miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1% food and live animals 7.6% (2012 est.)
Partners: Germany 27.1% UK 6.6% Czech Republic 6.6% France 5.8% Italy 4.7% Netherlands 4.3% Russia 4.2% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 26
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38% intermediate manufactured goods 21% chemicals 15% minerals fuels lubricants and related materials 9% (2011 est.)
Partners: Germany 28% Russia 9.1% China 6.5% Netherlands 5.9% Italy 5.5% France 4.2% Czech Republic 4.2% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 23

Debt external:
Rank: 30

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 22

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 35

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 150.9 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 27
Consumption: 137.5 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 25
Exports: 12.32 billion kWh (2013)
Exports rank: 16
Imports: 7.8 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 31
Installed generating capacity: 34.32 million kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 24
Generation sources fossil fuels: 91.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 70
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 162
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 133
Generation sources other renewable sources: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 51

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 25,220 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 68
Crude oil exports: 4,269 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 63
Crude oil imports: 489,700 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 18
Crude oil proven reserves: 156.5 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 64

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 553,700 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 30
Products consumption: 511,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 33
Products exports: 68,970 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 56
Products imports: 109,900 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 49

Natural gas
Production: 6.206 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 50
Consumption: 18.23 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 38
Exports: 94 million m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 45
Imports: 12.47 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 21
Proven reserves: 92 billion m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 55

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 289.5 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 25

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 5.04 million
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13
Fixed lines rank: 30
Mobile cellular total: 59.8 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 155
Mobile cellular rank: 26

Telephone system
General assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has accelerated with market-based competition; fixed-line service dominated by the former state-owned company is dwarfed by the growth in mobile-cellular services
Domestic: mobile-cellular service available since 1993 and provided by four nation-wide networks; coverage is generally good with some gaps in the east; fixed-line service 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: state-run public TV operates 2 national channels supplemented by 16 regional channels and several niche channels; privately owned entities operate several national TV networks and a number of special interest channels; many privately owned channels broadcasting locally; roughly half of all households are linked to either satellite or cable TV systems providing access to foreign television networks; state-run public radio operates 5 national networks and 17 regional radio stations; 2 privately owned national radio networks several commercial stations broadcasting to multiple cities and many privately owned local radio stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .pl
Users total: 25.9 million
Users percent of population: 67.2%
Users rank: 22

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 44

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription phased out in 2009-12; service obligation shortened from 12 to 9 months in 2005; women only allowed to serve as officers and noncommissioned officers (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 126 (2013)
Rank: 47
With paved runways total: 87
With paved runways over 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 30
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 36
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With paved runways under 914 m: 6
With unpaved runways total: 39
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 17
With unpaved runways: 21 (2013)

Heliports: 6 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 14,198 km; oil 1374 km; refined products 777 km (2013)

Railways
Total: 19,837 km
Broad gauge: 395 km 1.524-m gauge
Standard gauge: 19,442 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
Rank: 15

Roadways
Total: 412,035 km
Paved: 280,719 km
Unpaved: 131,316 km
Rank: 16

Waterways: 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009)
Rank: 27

Merchant marine
Total: 9
By type: cargo 7 chemical tanker 1 passenger/cargo 1
Registered in other countries: 106 (2010)
Rank: 118

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Gdansk Gdynia Swinoujscie
River port: Szczecin
LNG terminal: Swinoujscie


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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 14,277 (Russia) (2014); 71,302 applicants for forms of legal stay other than asylum (Ukraine) (2015)
Stateless persons: 10,825

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