Poland

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.

Land

304,255 sq km

Total

312,685 sq km

Water

8,430 sq km

about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico

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

440 km

Europe

Highest point

Rysy 2,499 m

Lowest point

near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m

Mean elevation

173 m

52 00 N, 20 00 E

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

1,327 sq km (2016)

Border countries

Belarus 375 km; Czechia 699 km; Germany 467 km; Lithuania 100 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 209 km; Slovakia 517 km; Ukraine 498 km

number of neighbors

7

Total

2,865 km

Agricultural land

47.6% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 36.6% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 9.8% (2023 est.)

arable land

36.58%

Forest

31% (2023 est.)

Other

21% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

1.12%

No

Central Europe, east of Germany

Salt water lake(s)

Zalew Szczecinski/Stettiner Haff (shared with Germany) - 900 sq km

Wisla (Vistula) river source and mouth (shared with Belarus and Ukraine) - 1,213 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> longest river in Poland

Atlantic Ocean drainage

<em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km)

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/gY9Xw4Sf4415P4949

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/49715

Europe

Exclusive economic zone

defined by international treaties

Territorial sea

12 nm

flooding

coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land

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

Central Europe

mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

UTC+01:00

number of time zones

1

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)

Beer

5.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

4.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

10.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

8.03 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

0.7% (2019 est.)

58.6% (2021 est.)

11.56 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

56 per 1,000

adult male

144 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

30.1 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio

3.3 (2024 est.)

Total dependency ratio

51.6 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

21.6 (2024 est.)

improved total

88.68%

Improved: rural

rural: 82.2% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 90.4% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 17.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 9.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

10% national budget (2022 est.)

4 % of GDP

Polish 96.9%, Silesian 1.1%, German 0.2%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> represents ethnicity declared first

0.65 (2025 est.)

8 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6.7% of GDP (2022)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

10.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

6.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Female

4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

2 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.2% (2011 est.)

Major-language sample(s)

<br>Księga Faktów Świata, niezbędne źródło podstawowych informacji. (Polish)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Note

<strong>note 1: </strong>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<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> 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

number of languages

1

Female

80.9 years

Male

72.8 years

Total population

76.7 years (2024 est.)

1.798 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow (2023)

2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

44.3 years

Male

41.5 years

Total

43.4 years (2025 est.)

27.9 years (2020 est.)

Adjective

Polish

Noun

Pole(s)

-6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

23.1% (2016)

4.03 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Female

20,304,895

Male

18,441,415

Total

38,746,310 (2024 est.)

-0.98% (2025 est.)

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.)

improved total

97.83%

Improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Female

18 years (2023 est.)

Male

16 years (2023 est.)

Total

17 years (2023 est.)

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

At birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total population

0.91 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

17.8% (2025 est.)

Male

25.6% (2025 est.)

Total

21.6% (2025 est.)

1.33 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

-0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

60.2% of total population (2023)

measles

92%

16 provinces or voivodships (<em>wojewodztwa</em>, singular - <em>wojewodztwo</em>); 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)

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

Geographic coordinates

52 15 N, 21 00 E

Name

Warsaw

Time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship by birth

no

Citizenship by descent only

both parents must be citizens of Poland

Dual citizenship recognized

no

Residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/pl.svg

Amendment process

proposed by at least one fifth of Sejm deputies, by the Senate, or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in the Sejm and absolute majority vote in the Senate; amendments to articles relating to sovereignty, personal freedoms, and constitutional amendment procedures also require passage by majority vote in a referendum

History

several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997

alternative spellings

PL, Republic of Poland, Rzeczpospolita Polska

Conventional long form

Republic of Poland

Conventional short form

Poland

Etymology

the name probably comes from the Slavic word <em>pole (</em>field or plain), indicating the flat nature of the country

FIFA code

POL

Former

Polish People's Republic

Local long form

Rzeczpospolita Polska

local long form (pol)

Rzeczpospolita Polska

Local short form

Polska

Chief of mission

Ambassador Thomas ROSE (since 6 November 2025)

Consulate(s) general

Krakow

Email address and website

<br>acswarsaw@state.gov<br><br>https://pl.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, 00-540 Warsaw

FAX

[48] (22) 504-2088

Mailing address

5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010

Telephone

[48] (22) 504-2000

Chancery

2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d'Affaires Bogdan Adam KLICH (since 21 November 2024)

Consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Email address and website

<br>washington.amb.sekretariat@msz.gov.pl<br><br>https://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/embassy-washington

FAX

[1] (202) 328-2152

Telephone

[1] (202) 499-1700

Cabinet

Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by the Sejm

Chief of state

President Karol NAWROCKI (since 6 August 2025)

Election results

<br>2025: Karol NAWROCKI elected president in second round; percent of vote - Karol NAWROCKI (PiS) 50.9%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49.1%; NAWROCKI takes office 6 August 2025<br><br>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; <br><br><em>2020:</em> Andrzej DUDA reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49%<br><em><br>2015:</em> Andrzej DUDA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51.5%, Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI (independent) 48.5%

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

Expected date of next election

July 2030

Head of government

Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 11 December 2023)

Most recent election date

18 May 2025, with the second round on 1 June 2025

<strong>description: </strong>two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> colors derive from the Polish emblem, a white eagle on a red field

note

<strong>note:</strong> similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco, which are red (top) and white

The flag of Poland is composed of two equal horizontal bands of white and red.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/pl.svg

parliamentary republic

11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 14 April 966 (adoption of Christianity, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Sad Najwyzszy (consists of the first president of the Supreme Court and 120 justices organized in criminal, civil, labor and social insurance, and extraordinary appeals and public affairs and disciplinary chambers); Constitutional Tribunal (consists of 15 judges, including the court president and vice president)

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 Judicial Council and appointed by the president of Poland; judges serve until retirement, usually at age 65, but tenure can be extended; Constitutional Tribunal judges chosen by the Sejm for single 9-year terms

Subordinate courts

administrative courts; military courts; local, regional and appellate courts subdivided into military, civil, criminal, labor, and family courts

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

Legislative structure

bicameral

Note

<strong>note:</strong> the designation "National Assembly" (or Zgromadzenie Narodowe) is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly

Chamber name

Sejm

Electoral system

proportional representation

Expected date of next election

October 2027

Most recent election date

10/15/2023

Number of seats

460 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Law and Justice (PiS) (194); Civic Coalition (KO) (157); The Third Way (65); The New Left (Nowa Lewica) (26); Other (18)

Percentage of women in chamber

31.3%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

Chamber name

Senate (Senat)

Electoral system

plurality/majority

Expected date of next election

October 2027

Most recent election date

10/15/2023

Number of seats

100 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Civic Coalition (KO) (41); Law and Justice (PiS) (34); The Third Way (11); The New Left (Nowa Lewica) (9); Independents (5)

Percentage of women in chamber

19%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

<p style="margin: 0in;">Poland’s coat of arms was designed in 1927 by noted Polish graphic artist and educator Zygmunt Kaminski. The white crowned eagle is the national symbol, and white and red are the national colors, with white representing purity and truth and red symbolizing courage and the blood shed for freedom.</p>

white, red

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Historic Krakow (c); Historic Warsaw (c); Medieval Torun (c); Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region (c); Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork (c); Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines (c); Auschwitz Birkenau Concentration Camp (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n); Białowieza Forest (n); Old City of Zamość (c)

Total World Heritage Sites

17 (15 cultural, 2 natural)

Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

white crowned eagle

Civic Coalition<br>Confederation<br>Free Republicans<br>Polish Coalition or PSL<br>The Left<br>United Right or PiS

Monday

18 years of age; universal

Yes

sugar beets, milk, wheat, maize, potatoes, triticale, apples, rapeseed, barley, rye (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

On alcohol and tobacco

6.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On food

18.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Expenditures

$328.497 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$291.603 billion (2023 est.)

code

PLN

name

Polish złoty (PLN) [zł]

$2.8 billion

Current account balance 2022

-$15.822 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$14.535 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$1.789 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

<p>high-income, diversified, EU-member economy; significant growth in GDP, trade, and investment since joining EU in 2004; private consumption and EU-funded public investments driving GDP growth; increased social spending, flooding recovery costs, and defense spending have added to public debt</p>

Currency

zlotych (PLN) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

3.9 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

3.862 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

4.458 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

4.204 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

3.981 (2024 est.)

$478.89 billion

Exports 2022

$436.388 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$471.571 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$478.579 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

vehicle parts/accessories, electric batteries, plastic products, cars, seats (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 25%, UK 6%, Czechia 6%, France 6%, Italy 5% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$20.61 billion

Exports of goods and services

52.3% (2024 est.)

Government consumption

20.8% (2024 est.)

Household consumption

57.6% (2024 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-48.3% (2024 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

16.9% (2024 est.)

Investment in inventories

0.8% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

2.6% (2024 est.)

Industry

26.4% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

59.9% (2024 est.)

$914.696 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$25,104

30.2 (2018)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

28.9 (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

$887.02 billion

$21,590

18 % of GDP

Highest 10%

23.1% (2022 est.)

Lowest 10%

3.3% (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$442.18 billion

Imports 2022

$421.765 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$423.797 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$441.945 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

crude petroleum, cars, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, plastic products (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 22%, China 12%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 4%, USA 4% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-0.6% (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

3.78%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

14.4% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

11.5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

3.8% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

18.245 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

18.02 million persons

agriculture

6.22%

industry

30.03%

services

63.75%

12.2% (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, the data include subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental 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

Public debt 2017

50.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

$1.87 trillion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.598 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.602 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.649 trillion (2024 est.)

3.03%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.2% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.9% (2024 est.)

$51,263

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$43,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$43,700 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$45,100 (2024 est.)

$8.69 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)

$223.11 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$166.664 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$193.783 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$223.115 billion (2024 est.)

36 % of GDP

18 % of GDP

18% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

2.98%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

2.9% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

2.8% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

2.5% (2024 est.)

Female

9.6% (2024 est.)

Male

10.1% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

9.9% (2024 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.)

Production

96.72 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

27.758 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

159.639 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

4,382 kWh

Exports

11.403 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Imports

15.14 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

64.806 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

8.549 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Biomass and waste

4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

72.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

2.23%

Hydroelectricity

1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

17.46%

Solar

6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind

14.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

2,639 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

103.651 million Btu/person (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.)

Production

5.345 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

91.492 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves

113 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

743,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Total petroleum production

24,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

15.2%

per 100 inhabitants

26 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

26 (2023 est.)

Total

10.1 million (2023 est.)

state-run public TV operates 2 national channels supplemented by 16 regional and several niche channels; privately owned entities operate several national TV networks and some special interest channels; many privately owned local channels; roughly half of all households are linked to satellite or cable TV systems with access to foreign TV; state-run public radio operates 5 national networks and 17 regional stations; 2 privately owned national radio networks, several commercial stations, and many privately owned local radio stations (2019)

.pl

Percent of population

86% (2023 est.)

##-###

+48

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

4.987 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100

135 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

132 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

52.4 million (2023 est.)

passengers carried

8.78 million passengers

registered carrier departures

102,938 departures

318 (2025)

SP

Right

16 (2025)

By type

general cargo 6, oil tanker 6, other 140

Total

152 (2023)

Key ports

Gdansk, Gdynia, Port Polnochny, Szczecin

Large

2

Medium

2

Ports with oil terminals

5

Small

4

Total ports

10 (2024)

Very small

2

Total

19,461 km (2020) 11,946 km electrified

PL

armored vehicles

tanks

the Polish Armed Forces are responsible for defense of the country's sovereignty and territory, deterring potential threats, and fulfilling Poland's commitments to NATO, EU, and European security; Poland’s geographic location on NATO’s eastern flank and its history of foreign invasion underpin the Polish military’s focus on territorial and border defense; in peacetime, the Armed Forces provide support to the Border Guard; other security concerns include hybrid threats from Russia and Belarus, such as cyberattacks, sabotage, and weaponized migration; since the 2010s, Poland has taken steps to enhance the security of its borders with Russia and Belarus<br><br>since 2014, Poland has hosted several NATO military formations designed to enhance the defense of Poland and NATO’s eastern flank, including a US-led multinational NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative, NATO fighter detachments at Malbork Air Base, a NATO-led divisional headquarters (Multinational Division Northeast), which coordinates training and preparation activities of its respective subordinate battlegroups in Poland and Lithuania, and a corps-level NATO field headquarters (Multinational Corps Northeast); Poland also has increased the the US military presence in the country; Poland participates in a variety of EU and NATO military deployments in Africa, the Baltic States, Southern Europe, and the Middle East; Poland also provided support to the NATO mission in Afghanistan (2025)

Polish Armed Forces (Polskie Siły Zbrojne): Land Forces (Wojska Ladowe), Navy (Marynarka Wojenna), Air Force (Sily Powietrzne), Special Forces (Wojska Specjalne), Territorial Defense Forces (Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej), Cyberspace Defense Forces (Wojska Obrony Cyberprzestrzeni)<br><br>Ministry of Interior and Administration: Polish National Police (Policja); Border Guard (Straż Graniczna or SG) (2025)

active duty personnel

189,000

percent of total labor force

1.04 %

approximately 235,000 active military personnel (2025)

note

<strong>note: </strong>a new national defense law in 2022 set a goal to double the size of Poland’s armed forces to 300,000 personnel, including 250,000 professional soldiers and 50,000 territorials

250 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 300 Latvia (NATO); 190 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)

note

<strong>note: </strong>Poland has obligated about 2,500 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Poland and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units; units affiliated with the multinational brigade remain within the structures of the armed forces of their respective countries until the brigade is activated for participation in an international operation

the military's inventory consists of a mix of some Soviet-era and a growing amount of more modern, NATO-compatible weapons systems; in recent years, significant suppliers of armaments have included Finland, South Korea, and the US; Poland has a domestic defense sector that produces or provides upgrades to various weapons systems, particularly ground systems such as tanks and other armored vehicles; it also cooperates with the European and US defense sectors (2025)

4 % of GDP

current USD

$38,000,728,652

Military Expenditures 2021

2.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

3.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

3.8% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2025

4.5% of GDP (2025 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

8.47 %

percent of GDP

4.15 % of GDP

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription; professional soldiers serve on a permanent basis (for an unspecified period of time) or on a contract basis (for a specified period of time); initial contract period is 24 months (2025)

note

<strong>note 1:</strong> as of 2024, women made up about 16.5% of the military's full-time personnel<br><br><strong>note 2: </strong>in 2022, Poland announced a new 12-month voluntary military service program with recruits going through a one-month basic training period with a military unit, followed by 11 months of specialized training; upon completion of service, the volunteers would be allowed to join the Territorial Defense Forces or the active reserve, and have priority to join the professional army and be given preference for employment in the public sector; the program is part of an effort to increase the size of the Polish military

PowerIndex score

0.3891

USG identification

<br>major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees

1,019,863 (2024 est.)

Stateless persons

1,486 (2024 est.)

1978 - first Polish astronaut in space on Soviet spacecraft<br><br>1991 - began cooperating with the ESA<br><br>1994 - began participating in Russia's Koronas solar research missions <br><br>2012 - joined ESA; first domestically built scientific nanosatellite (PW-Sat) launched on European rocket<br><br>2021 - joined US-led Artemis Accords for lunar and space exploration<br><br>2024 - successfully launched domestically developed experimental suborbital rocket (ILR-33 Amber 2K) to altitude of 101 kms<br><br>2025 - first Polish astronaut and scientific mission on International Space Station

Polish Space Agency (POLSA; established 2014; operational in 2015) (2025)

builds satellites, including nano/cube remote sensing (RS) and scientific/technology satellites; researches and develops communications, RS, navigational, and other scientific applications for satellite payloads; creating infrastructure for data from meteorological and environmental satellites; researches and develops other space-related technologies, including sensors and robotic probes for interplanetary landers, and launcher systems; space program is integrated with the ESA and the EU; participates in a variety of ESA/EU and international programs; cooperates with a variety of other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, Canada, China, ESA/EU member states (particularly France, Germany, Italy), India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, UK, and the US; has a commercial space sector with more than 300 active enterprises (2025)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

From coal and metallurgical coke

132.101 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

36.835 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

95.095 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

264.031 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

air pollution (despite environmental policy improvements) because of coal-burning in homes and power plants; acid rain leading to forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources; disposal of hazardous wastes

Global geoparks and regional networks

Land of Extinct Volcanoes; Muskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa (includes Germany); Holy Cross Mountains (2024)

Total global geoparks and regional networks

3 (2024)

Party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic- Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

Signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Agriculture

595.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

954.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

36.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

292 kt (2019-2021 est.)

18.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

38 % of total land area

16 % of total

60.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

18 % of internal resources

Agricultural

1.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

6.44 billion cubic meters (2022)

Municipal

2.113 billion cubic meters (2022)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

12.758 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

38.3% (2022 est.)