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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
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Geographic coordinates: |
52 00 N, 20 00 E |
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Map references: |
Europe |
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Area: |
total: 312,685 sq km
land: 304,465 sq km
water: 8,220 sq km |
|
Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than New
Mexico |
|
Land boundaries: |
total: 3,056 km
border countries: 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 |
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
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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 |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: near
Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m |
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Natural resources: |
coal, sulfur, copper, natural
gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land |
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Land use: |
arable land: 40.25%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 58.75% (2005) |
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Irrigated land: |
1,000 sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources: |
63.1 cu km (2005) |
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
total: 11.73 cu km/yr
(13%/79%/8%)
per capita: 304 cu m/yr (2002) |
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Natural hazards: |
flooding |
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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 |
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Environment - 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
signed,
but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 |
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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: |
38,500,696 (July 2008 est.)
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|
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 15.2% (male
3,013,109/female 2,849,977)
15-64 years: 71.4% (male
13,681,481/female 13,808,412)
65 years and over: 13.4% (male
1,964,477/female 3,183,240) (2008 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 37.6 years
male: 35.8 years
female: 39.5 years (2008 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
-0.045% (2008 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
10.01 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
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Death rate: |
9.99 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
-0.46 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.06
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64
years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62
male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 6.93 deaths/1,000
live births
male: 7.66 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 75.41
years
male: 71.42 years
female: 79.65 years (2008
est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
1.27 children born/woman (2008
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.1%; note - no country
specific models provided (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
14,000 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
100 (2001 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases: |
degree of risk:
intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
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 (2008) |
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Nationality: |
noun: Pole(s)
adjective: Polish |
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Ethnic groups: |
Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%,
Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)
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Religions: |
Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75%
practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%,
unspecified 8.3% (2002) |
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Languages: |
Polish 97.8%, other and
unspecified 2.2% (2002 census) |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
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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
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Government type: |
republic |
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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 |
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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 |
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Independence: |
11 November 1918 (republic
proclaimed) |
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National holiday: |
Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
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Constitution: |
adopted by the National
Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 25 May 1997;
effective 17 October 1997 |
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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 |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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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% |
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Legislative branch: |
bicameral National Assembly or
Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists of the Senate or Senat (upper house) (100
seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to
serve four-year terms), and the Sejm (lower house) (460 seats; members are
elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve
four-year terms); the designation of National Assembly is only used on
those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
elections: Senate - last held 21 October 2007 (next to be held
by October 2011); Sejm elections last held 21 October 2007 (next to be
held by October 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%, LiD 13.2%, PSL 8.9%, other
4.3%; seats by party - PO 209, PiS 166, LiD 53, PSL 31, German minorities
1; note - seats by party as of February 2008 - PO 209, PiS 159, LiD 53,
PSL 31, German minorities 1, nonaffiliated 7
note: one seat is
assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only |
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Civic Platform or PO [Donald
TUSK]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wojciech OLEJNICZAK]; Democratic
Party or PD [Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or
MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League
of Polish Families or LPR [Sylwester CHRUSZCZ]; Left and Democrats (LiD)
(a coalition formed by the SLD, PD, SDPL, and UP) [Wojciech OLEJNICZAK];
Polish People's Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej
LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI]; Union
of Labor or UP [Andrzej SPYCHALSKI] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
All Poland Trade Union Alliance
or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Stanislaw
DZIWISZ, Archbishop Jozef MICHALIK]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz
SNIADEK] |
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International organization participation: |
ACCT (observer), Arctic Council
(observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), 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, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention,
SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Wojciech FLERA; note - Robert
KUPIECKI has been named the next Polish Ambassador to the US by the Polish
Government
chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802
FAX: [1]
(202) 328-6271
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New
York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Victor ASHE
embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540
Warsaw
mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department
of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
telephone: [48]
(22) 504-2000
FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688
consulate(s)
general: Krakow |
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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 |
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Economy - overview: |
Poland has pursued a policy of
economic liberalization since 1990 and today stands out as a success story
among transition economies. In 2007, GDP grew an estimated 6.5%, based on
rising private consumption, a jump in corporate investment, and EU funds
inflows. GDP per capita is still much below the EU average, but is similar
to that of the three Baltic states. Since 2004, EU membership and access
to EU structural funds have provided a major boost to the economy.
Unemployment is falling rapidly, though at roughly 12.8% in 2007, it
remains well above the EU average. Tightening labor markets, and rising
global energy and food prices, pose a risk to consumer price stability. In
December 2007 inflation reached 4.1% on a year-over-year basis, or higher
than the upper limit of the National Bank of Poland's target range.
Poland's economic performance could improve further if the country
addresses some of the remaining deficiencies in its business environment.
An inefficient commercial court system, a rigid labor code, bureaucratic
red tape, and persistent low-level corruption keep the private sector from
performing up to its full potential. Rising demands to fund health care,
education, and the state pension system present a challenge to the Polish
government's effort to hold the consolidated public sector budget deficit
under 3.0% of GDP, a target which was achieved in 2007. The PO/PSL
coalition government which came to power in November 2007 plans to further
reduce the budget deficit with the aim of eventually adopting the euro.
The new government has also announced its intention to enact
business-friendly reforms, reduce public sector spending growth, lower
taxes, and accelerate privatization. However, the government does not have
the necessary two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto,
and thus may have to water down initiatives in order to garner enough
support to pass its pro-business policies. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$624.6 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP (official exchange rate): |
$413.3 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate: |
6.5% (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$16,200 (2007 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 4.1%
industry: 31.9%
services: 64% (2007 est.) |
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Labor force: |
17.01 million (2007 est.)
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|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 16.1%
industry: 29%
services: 54.9% (2002) |
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Unemployment rate: |
12.8% (2007 est.) |
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Population below poverty line: |
17% (2003 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 27% (2002) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
36 (2005) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
4.1% (December 2007 est.)
|
|
Investment (gross fixed): |
21.8% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $80.53 billion
expenditures: $88.7 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Public debt: |
44.5% of GDP (2007 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 |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
10% (2007 est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
146.2 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 98.1%
hydro: 1.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.4%
(2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption: |
120.4 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - exports: |
16.19 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - imports: |
5.002 billion kWh (2005) |
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Oil - production: |
32,800 bbl/day (2005 est.)
|
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Oil - consumption: |
462,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
|
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Oil - exports: |
51,780 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - imports: |
480,300 bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - proved reserves: |
96.38 million bbl (1 January
2006 est.) |
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Natural gas - production: |
5.828 billion cu m (2005)
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Natural gas - consumption: |
15.58 billion cu m (2005 est.)
|
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Natural gas - exports: |
42.2 million cu m (2005 est.)
|
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Natural gas - imports: |
10.01 billion cu m (2005)
|
|
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
158.1 billion cu m (1 January
2006 est.) |
|
Current account balance: |
-$18.13 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
Exports: |
$137.9 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
|
Exports - commodities: |
machinery and transport
equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous
manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6% (2003) |
|
Exports - partners: |
Germany 27.2%, Italy 6.6%,
France 6.2%, UK 5.7%, Czech Republic 5.6%, Russia 4.3% (2006) |
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Imports: |
$150.7 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
|
Imports - commodities: |
machinery and transport
equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%,
minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9.1% (2003) |
|
Imports - partners: |
Germany 29%, Russia 9.6%, Italy
6.4%, Netherlands 5.7%, France 5.4% (2006) |
|
Economic aid - recipient: |
$1.524 billion in available EU
structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$61.46 billion (31 December
2007 est.) |
|
Debt - external: |
$187.8 billion (30 June 2007)
|
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
$104.2 billion (2006 est.)
|
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
$10.68 billion (2006 est.)
|
|
Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$149.1 billion (2006) |
|
Currency (code): |
zloty (PLN) |
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Currency code: |
PLN |
|
Exchange rates: |
zlotych per US dollar - 2.81
(2007), 3.1032 (2006), 3.2355 (2005), 3.6576 (2004), 3.8891 (2003)
note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty |
|
Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use: |
11.475 million (2006) |
|
Telephones - 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: mobile-cellular service available since
1993 and provided by three nation-wide networks with a fourth provider
beginning operations in late 2006; cellular coverage is generally good
with some 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
|
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1
(1998) |
|
Radios: |
20.2 million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations: |
40 (2006) |
|
Televisions: |
13.05 million (1997) |
|
Internet country code: |
.pl |
|
Internet hosts: |
5.681 million (2007) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
19 (2000) |
|
Internet users: |
11 million (2006)
|
|
Airports: |
123 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 83
over
3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
1,524 to 2,437
m: 39
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 3 (2007)
|
|
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 40
2,438
to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523
m: 13
under 914 m: 22 (2007) |
|
Heliports: |
7 (2007) |
|
Pipelines: |
gas 13,552 km; oil 1,384 km;
refined products 777 km (2007) |
|
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 |
|
Military branches: |
Polish Armed Forces: Land
Forces (includes Navy (Marynarka Wojenna, MW)), Polish Air Force (Sily
Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, SPRP) (2008) |
|
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) |
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 16-49:
9,741,508
females age 16-49: 9,514,843 (2008 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 16-49:
7,937,840
females age 16-49: 7,949,677 (2008 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 16-49: 257,605
females age 16-49: 245,832 (2008 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.71% (2005 est.)
|
| Transnational Issues |
Poland |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
