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 disorder 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. 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 EU in 2004.

Area
Total: 312,685 km²
Land: 304,255 km²
Water: 8,430 km²
Comparative: about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries
Total: 2,865 km
Border countries (6): (6) Belarus 375 km; Czechia 699 km; Germany 467 km; Lithuania 100 km; , Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 209 km; Slovakia 517 km; Ukraine 498 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
Highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
Mean elevation: 173 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 47.6% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 36.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 9.8% (2023 est.)
Forest: 31% (2023 est.)
Other: 21% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,327 km² (2016)

Major rivers: Wisla (Vistula) river source and mouth (shared with Belarus and Ukraine) - 1,213 km
Note: longest river in Poland

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
Total: 38,746,310 (2024 est.)
Male: 18,441,415
Female: 20,304,895
Distribution: population concentrated in the southern area around Krakow and the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, with an extension to the northern coastal city of Gdansk
Growth rate: -1% (2024 est.)

Languages: Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.2% (2011 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; Księga Faktów Świata, niezbędne źródło podstawowych informacji. (Polish); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note 1: shares of languages sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; data represent language spoken at home
Note 2: Poland also recognizes Kashub as a regional language; Czech, Hebrew, Yiddish, Belarusian, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovak, and Ukrainian as national minority languages; and Karaim, Lemko, Romani (Polska Roma and Bergitka Roma), and Tatar as ethnic minority languages

Religions
Roman Catholic 70.7%, refused to answer 20.9%, no religion 6.9%; less than 1 percent: Orthodox, Jehovah Witness, Evangelic of Augsburg, Greek Catholic, Pentecostal, other Protestant, not stated, old Catholic Mariavite Church, other Christians, Islam, Buddhist, Polish Catholic Church, other, Baptist Union of Poland, Pagan, Seventh Day Adventist, Hindu, other Catholic (2021 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 14.2% (male 2,830,048/female 2,676,300)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 12,513,402/female 13,036,977)
65 years and over: 19.8% (2024 est.) (male 3,097,965/female 4,591,618)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 51.6 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 21.6 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 30.1 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3.3 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 42.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 41.5 years
Female: 44.3 years

Population growth rate: -1% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 8.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 12.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: population concentrated in the southern area around Krakow and the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, with an extension to the northern coastal city of Gdansk

Urbanization
Urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: -0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.798 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 72.8 years
Female: 80.9 years

Total fertility rate: 1.32 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 17.8% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 9.6% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 0.7% (2019 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.5% (2024 est.); 2.8% (2023 est.); 2.9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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
Etymology: the origin of the name is unknown; Warszawa was the name of a fishing village, and several legends link the city's founding to a man named Wars or Warsz

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces or voivodships (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)

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Karol NAWROCKI (since 6 August 2025)
Head of government: Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 11 December 2023)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by the Sejm
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister, deputy prime ministers, and Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm; all presidential candidates resign their party affiliation
Most recent election date: 18 May 2025, with the second round on 1 June 2025
2025: First round Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 31.4%, Karol NAWROCKI 29.5% (PiS), Slawomir MENTZEN 14.8%, Grzegorz BRAUN 6.3%, and Szymon HOLOWNIA 5.0%; second round to be held on 1 June 2025;
2020: Andrzej DUDA reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49%
2015: Andrzej DUDA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51.5%, Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI (independent) 48.5%
Expected date of next election: July 2,030

Legislative branch
Legislative structure: bicameral
Note: the designation 'National Assembly' (or Zgromadzenie Narodowe) is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red

National anthem
Title: 'Mazurek Dabrowskiego' (Dabrowski's Mazurka)
Lyrics/music: Jozef WYBICKI/traditional
History: adopted 1927;

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 17 (15 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 2.9% (2024 est.); 0.2% (2023 est.); 5.3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 2.9% (2024 est.); 0.2% (2023 est.); 5.3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 57.6% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 20.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.8% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 52.3% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -48.3% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.)
Industry: 26.4% (2024 est.)
Services: 59.9% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: -0.6% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 18.245 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 2.5% (2024 est.); 2.8% (2023 est.); 2.9% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.5% (2024 est.); 2.8% (2023 est.); 2.9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $291.603 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $328.497 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 18% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $478.579 billion (2024 est.); $471.571 billion (2023 est.); $436.388 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: vehicle parts/accessories, electric batteries, plastic products, cars, seats (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $441.945 billion (2024 est.); $423.797 billion (2023 est.); $421.765 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, cars, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, plastic products (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 64.806 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 159.639 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 11.403 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 15.14 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 8.549 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 72.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 14.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 96.72 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 99.932 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 10.805 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 10.041 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 27.758 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 24,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 743,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 113 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 5.345 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 20.602 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 747.124 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 15.111 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 91.492 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 264.031 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 132.101 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 95.095 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 36.835 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 103.651 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 4.987 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 52.4 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 86% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 10.1 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 4.5% of GDP (2025 est.); 3.8% of GDP (2024 est.); 3.3% of GDP (2023 est.); 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.); 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Airports: 318 (2025)

Heliports: 16 (2025)

Railways
Total: 19,461 km (2020) 11,946 km electrified

Merchant marine
Total: 152 (2023)
By type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 6, other 140