Background: Poland's history as a state begins 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 ten 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 Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.

Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N 20 00 E

Area
Rank: 70
Land: 304,255 km²
Water: 8,430 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries
Border countries: (6) Belarus 605 km; Czech Republic 615 km; Germany 456 km; Lithuania 91 km; Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km; Slovakia 420 km; Ukraine 428 km

Coastline: 440 km

Maritime claims
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 highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

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

Land use
Permanent crops: 1.25%
Other: 63.26% (2011)

Irrigated land: 1157 km² (2007)

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

Population: 38,383,809 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 34
Growth rate: -0.09% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 203
Below poverty line: 10.6% (2008 est.)

Nationality
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 (official) 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)

Age structure
15-24 years: 12.3% (male 2,412,546/female 2,313,222)
25-54 years: 44.1% (male 8,506,429/female 8,408,872)
55-64 years: 14.5% (male 2,632,058/female 2,952,063)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 2,142,246/female 3,413,154) (2012 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 21.2 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 20.4 %
Potential support ratio: 4.9 (2012)

Median age
Male: 37.5 years
Female: 40.9 years (2012 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.09% (2012 est.)
Rank: 203

Birth rate: 9.88 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 199

Death rate: 10.31 deaths/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 45

Net migration rate: -0.47 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 134

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: -0.04% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: WARSAW (capital) 1.71 million; Krakow 756,000 (2009)

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 signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2012 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 26.6 (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 169
Male: 7 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 5.56 deaths/1000 live births (2012 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 77
Male: 72.53 years
Female: 80.62 years (2012 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.32 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 212

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 72.7%

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 2.07 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 6.6 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 156
People living with hivaids: 27,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 70
Deaths: fewer than 200 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 108

Major infectious diseases
Vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 25.3% (2008)
Rank: 56

Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 72

Literacy
Total population: 99.7%
Male: 99.9%
Female: 99.6% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 15 years
Female: 16 years (2010)

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

Government type: republic

Capital
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 (Lower Silesia) Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania) Lodzkie Lubelskie (Lublin) Lubuskie (Lubusz) Malopolskie (Lesser Poland) Mazowieckie (Masovia) Opolskie Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia) Podlaskie Pomorskie (Pomerania) Slaskie (Silesia) Swietokrzyskie Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria) Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland) Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)

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 (2012)

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 16 November 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Janusz PIECHOCINSKI (since 6 December 2012) and Elzbieta BIENKOWSKA (since 27 November 2012)
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 on 20 June and 4 July 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm
Election results: Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI elected president; percent of popular vote - Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI 53% Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI 47%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of an upper house the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms) and a lower house the Sejm (460 seats; members elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
Elections: Senate - last held on 9 October 2011 (next to be held by October 2015); Sejm - last held on 9 October 2011 (next to be held by October 2015)
Election results and current seat distribution: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PO 63 PiS 29 PSL 2 SP 2 independents 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

Judicial branch
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 normally 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 EIB ESA EU FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) 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 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 consulate general: Chicago Los Angeles New York
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 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

National symbols: white eagle

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Jozef WYBICKI/traditional

Economy overview: Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization since 1990 and Poland's economy was the only one in the European Union 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 while unemployment continues to exceed the EU average. The government of Prime Minister Donald TUSK steered the Polish economy through the economic downturn by skillfully managing public finances without stifling economic growth and adopted 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 2012 in part due to the ongoing economic difficulties in the euro zone. The key policy challenge is to provide support to the economy through monetary easing while maintaining the pace of structural fiscal consolidation. Poland's economic performance could improve over the longer term if the country addresses some of the remaining deficiencies in its road and rail infrastructure and its business environment. An inefficient commercial court system a rigid labor code red tape and a burdensome tax system keep the private sector from realizing its full potential.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 22

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 139

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 68

Gross national saving:
Rank: 91

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 17.8%
Investment in fixed capital: 19.3%
Investment in inventories: 1.6%
Exports of goods and services: 46%
Imports of goods and services: -45.6%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 32.2%
Services: 63.8% (2012 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: 1.3% (2012 est.)
Rank: 116

Labor force: 18.17 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 33
By occupation industry: 30.2%
By occupation services: 57% (2010)

Unemployment rate: 12.4% (2011 est.)
Rank: 131

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 27.1% (2009 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 31.6 (1998)
Rank: 92

Budget
Expenditures: $97.65 billion (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 85

Taxes and other revenues: 18.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 176

Public debt: 49.1% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 68

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.2% (2011 est.)
Rank: 111

Central bank discount rate: 4% (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 95

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 8.47% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 110

Stock of narrow money: $137 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 25

Stock of broad money: $295.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 32

Stock of domestic credit: $295.4 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 33

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 36

Current account balance: $-25.82 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 182

Exports: $195.2 billion (2011 est.)
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%
Partners: Germany 26% UK 7% Czech Republic 6.5% France 6% Russia 5.2% Italy 5% Netherlands 4.6% (2012)

Imports: $209.3 billion (2011 est.)
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 27.3% Russia 12.2% Netherlands 5.9% China 5.4% Italy 5.2% Czech Republic 4.3% France 4.2% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $97.86 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 24

Debt external: $320.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 29

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $210.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 22

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $61.7 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 33

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 153.4 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 25
Consumption: 155 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 25
Exports: 12.64 billion kWh (2012)
Exports rank: 16
Imports: 9.803 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 24
Installed generating capacity: 33.36 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 25
Generation sources fossil fuels: 89.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 77
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 160
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 2.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 130
Generation sources other renewable sources: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 51

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 27,680 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 72
Crude oil exports: 3,615 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 66
Crude oil imports: 547,900 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 17
Crude oil proven reserves: 156.5 million bbl (1 January 2010 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 63

Refined petroleum
Products production: 636,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 27
Products consumption: 576,600 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 30
Products exports: 68,970 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 56
Products imports: 137,700 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 41

Natural gas
Production: 6.193 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 50
Consumption: 14.38 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 39
Exports: 25.01 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 18
Imports: 37.38 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 15
Proven reserves: 92 billion m³ (1 January 2012 es)
Proven reserves rank: 57

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 307.9 million Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 21

Telephones
Main lines in use: 6.125 million (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 28
Mobile cellular: 50.84 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 27

Telephone system
Domestic: mobile-cellular service available since 1993 and provided by three nation-wide networks with a fourth provider beginning operations in late 2006; 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 (2011)

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
Hosts: 13.265 million (2012)
Hosts rank: 12
Users: 22.452 million (2009)
Users rank: 19

Military expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 72

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 (2012)

Airports: 126 (2012)
Rank: 47
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 (2012)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 17
With unpaved runways: 21 (2012)

Heliports: 6 (2012)

Pipelines: gas 14,198 km; oil 1374 km; refined products 777 km (2012)

Railways
Rank: 15
Broad gauge: 399 km 1.524-m gauge
Standard gauge: 19,029 km 1.435-m gauge (11,805 km electrified) (2007)

Roadways
Rank: 15
Paved: 280,719 km (includes 2,418 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 131,316 km (2012)

Waterways: 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009)
Rank: 28

Merchant marine
Rank: 117
By type: cargo 7 chemical tanker 1 passenger/cargo 1
Registered in other countries: 106 (Antigua and Barbuda 2 Bahamas 34 Cyprus 24 Liberia 13 Malta 21 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3 Vanuatu 9) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Gdansk Gdynia Swinoujscie Szczecin

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
Stateless persons: 10,825 (2012)

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