1996 Edition

Description

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Location

52 00 N, 20 00 E -- Central Europe, east of Germany Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than New Mexico

land area

304,510 sq km

total area

312,683 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

491 km

Environment

current issues

situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by postcommunist 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

international agreements

party to - Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

52 00 N, 20 00 E

Geographic note

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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

1,000 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 428 km

total

2,888 km

Land use

arable land

48%

forest and woodland

29%

meadows and pastures

13%

other

10% (1992)

permanent crops

0%

Location

Central Europe, east of Germany

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

defined by international treaties

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt

Terrain

mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

highest point

Rysy 2,499 m

lowest point

Raczki Elblaskie -2 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 22% (male 4,399,649; female 4,188,824) 15-64 years: 66% (male 12,754,272; female 12,930,275) 65 years and over: 12% (male 1,654,526; female 2,715,019) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

11.92 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

10.08 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Byelorussian 0.5% (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

12.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Polish

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.41 years (1996 est.)

male

68.02 years

total population

72.1 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1978 est.)

female

98%

male

99%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

Polish

noun

Pole(s)

Net migration rate

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

38,642,565 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.14% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.69 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

49 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Biala Podlaska, Bialystok, Bielsko Biala, Bydgoszcz, Chelm, Ciechanow, Czestochowa, Elblag, Gdansk, Gorzow, Jelenia Gora, Kalisz, Katowice, Kielce, Konin, Koszalin, Krakow, Krosno, Legnica, Leszno, Lodz, Lomza, Lublin, Nowy Sacz, Olsztyn, Opole, Ostroleka, Pila, Piotrkow, Plock, Poznan, Przemysl, Radom, Rzeszow, Siedlce, Sieradz, Skierniewice, Slupsk, Suwalki, Szczecin, Tarnobrzeg, Tarnow, Torun, Walbrzych, Warszawa, Wloclawek, Wroclaw, Zamosc, Zielona Gora

Capital

Warsaw

Constitution

interim "small constitution" came into effect in December 1992 replacing the communist-imposed constitution of 22 July 1952; new democratic constitution being drafted

Data code

PL

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Jerzy KOZMINSKI

telephone

[1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers is responsible to the president and the Sejm; the prime minister appointed and the Sejm approved the Council of Ministers

chief of state

President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote; election first round held 5 November 1995, second round held 19 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 2000); results - second round Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 51.7%, Lech WALESA 48.3%

head of government

Prime Minister Wlodimierz CIMOSZEWICZ (since 7 February 1996), Deputy Prime Ministers Roman JAGIELINSKI (since NA), Grzegorz KOLODKO (since NA), and Miroslaw PIETRIEWICZ (since NA) were appointed by the Sejm

FAX

[1] (202) 328-6271

[48] (2) 628-82-98

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

consulate(s) general

Krakow

Flag

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Independence

11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of Judiciary

Legal system

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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly (Zgromadzenie Narodowe) post-communist parties (PSL 34, SLD 37), post-Solidarity parties (UW 6, NSZZ 12, BBWR 2), non-communist, non-Solidarity (independents 7, unaffiliated 1, vacant 1) post-communist parties (SLD 171, PSL 132), post-Solidarity parties (UW 74, UP 41, BBWR 16), non-communist, non-Solidarity (KPN 22)

note

four seats are constitutionally assigned to ethnic German parties

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Poland

conventional short form

Poland

local long form

Rzeczpospolita Polska

local short form

Polska

National holiday

Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Other political or pressure groups

powerful Roman Catholic Church; Solidarity (trade union); All Poland Trade Union Alliance (OPZZ), trade union

Political parties and leaders

non-Communist non-Solidarity

Confederation for an Independent Poland (KPN), Leszek MOCZULSKI; German Minority (MN), Georg PORYLKA; Union of Real Politics (UPR), Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE; Democratic Party (SD), Antoni MACKIEWICZ

post-Communist

Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) (Social Democracy of Poland), Jozef OLEKSY; Polish Peasant Party (PSL), Waldemar PAWLAK

post-Solidarity parties

Freedom Union (UW; Democratic Union and Liberal Democratic Congress merged to form Freedom Union), Leszek BALCEROWICZ; Christian-National Union (ZCHN), Marian PILKA; Center Alliance Party (PC), Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI; Peasant Alliance (PL), Gabriel JANOWSKI; Solidarity Caucus (NSZZ), Marian KRZAKLEWSKI; Union of Labor (UP), Ryszard BUGAJ; Christian-Democratic Party (PCHD), Pawel LACZKOWSKI; Conservative Party, Aleksander HALL; Nonparty Reform Bloc (BBWR)

Sejm

elections last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held no later than 19 September 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (460 total)

Senate (Senat)

elections last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held no later than 19 September 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (100 total)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

democratic state

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Nicholas Andrew REY

embassy

Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, Warsaw

mailing address

American Embassy Warsaw, Unit 1340, APO AE 09213-1340

telephone

[48] (2) 628-30-41

Agriculture

potatoes, milk, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry and eggs; pork, beef

Budget

expenditures

$37.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

revenues

$34.5 billion

Currency

1 zloty (Zl) = 100 groszy

Economic aid

recipient

Western governments and institutions pledged $22 billion in grants and loans during 1990-94, but much of the money has not been disbursed

Economic overview

In 1995, Poland continued to make good progress in the difficult transition to a market economy that began on 1 January 1990, when the new democratic government instituted "shock therapy" by decontrolling prices, slashing subsidies, and drastically reducing import barriers. Although real GDP fell sharply in 1990 and 1991, in 1992 Poland became the first country in the region to resume economic growth with a 2.6% increase. Growth advanced to 3.8% in 1993, 5.2% in 1994, and 6.5% in 1995. Most of the growth since 1991 had come from the booming private sector, which now accounts for about 60% of GDP, due in large part to the creation of new private firms. The slow pace of privatization picked up somewhat in 1995, as 512 smaller state enterprises were transferred to private National Investment Funds under the Mass Privatization Program, but large-scale industry remains largely in state hands. Industrial production increased 10.2% in 1995, following a 13.2% rise in 1994, yet remains about 13% below the 1989 level. Inflation, which had approached 1,200% annually in early 1990, fell to 21.6% in December 1995, as the government held the 1995 budget deficit to less than 3% of GDP. After peaking at 16.9% in July 1994, unemployment gradually fell to 14.9% in December 1995 - although the rate still approaches 30% in some regions. The trade and current account balances officially are in deficit but in fact both have comfortable surpluses because of large, unrecorded sales to cross-border visitors. Prospects for 1996 are good, with the government promising to push privatization and social welfare reform. Economic growth should remain above 5%, with inflation dropping below 20% by yearend 1996 and unemployment continuing its slow decline. As for external debt, the burden was sharply reduced by reschedulings and write-offs of both private and official debt during 1991-94.

Electricity

capacity

31,120,000 kW

consumption per capita

3,000 kWh (1993)

production

133.7 billion kWh

Exchange rates

zlotych (Zl) per US$1 - 2.55 (January 1996) 2.4250 (1995); note - a currency reform on 1 January 1995 replaced 10,000 old zlotys with 1 new zloty; 22,723 (1994), 18,115 (1993), 13,626 (1992), 10,576 (1991)

Exports

$22.2 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

intermediate goods 27.5%, machinery and transport equipment 19.8%, miscellaneous manufactures 20.5%, foodstuffs 11.6%, fuels 9.1% (1994)

partners

Germany 35.7%, Netherlands 5.9%, Russia 5.4%, Italy 4.9% (1994)

External debt

$42.1 billion (yearend 1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $226.7 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

7%

industry

38%

services

55% (1993)

GDP per capita

$5,800 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

6.5% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of opium for domestic consumption and amphetamines for the international market; transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe; producer of precursor chemicals

Imports

$23.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

machinery and transport equipment 28.9%, intermediate goods 20.2%, chemicals 14.7%, fuels 10.4%, miscellaneous manufactures 9.9%

partners

Germany 27.5%, Italy 8.4%, Russia 6.8%, UK 5.3% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate

10.2% (1995)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

21.6% (December 1995)

Labor force

17.743 million (1994 annual average)

by occupation

industry and construction 32.0%, agriculture 27.6%, trade, transport, and communications 14.7%, government and other 25.7% (1992)

Unemployment rate

14.9% (December 1995)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $2.4 billion, 2.4% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

10,267,551

males fit for military service

7,994,460

males reach military age (19) annually

324,960 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 27, FM 27, shortwave 0

Radios

10.9 million (1993 est.)

Telephone system

underdeveloped and outmoded system; government aims to have 10 million phones in service by the year 2000

domestic

cable, open wire, and microwave radio relay

international

satellite earth stations - NA Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)

Telephones

5 million (1994)

Television broadcast stations

40 (Russian repeaters 5)

Televisions

9.6 million Defense

Airports

total

134

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

27

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

30

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3

with paved runways over 3 047 m

2

with paved runways under 914 m

7

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

10

with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

5

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

32

with unpaved runways under 914 m

18 (1994 est.)

Highways

paved

235,247 km (including 257 km of expressways)

total

367,000 km (excluding farm, factory, and forest roads)

unpaved

131,753 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

note

Poland owns an additional 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 179,913 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Liberia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Vanuatu, and Cyprus (1995 est.)

ships by type

bulk 73, cargo 36, chemical tanker 4, container 7, oil tanker 1, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea passenger 5

total

131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,093,491 GRT/3,167,660 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 1,986 km; petroleum products 360 km; natural gas 4,600 km (1992)

Ports

Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wrocaw

Railways

broad gauge

656 km 1.520-m gauge

narrow gauge

1,855 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (1995)

standard gauge

22,655 km 1.435-m gauge (11,496 km electrified; 8,978 km double track)

total

25,166 km

Waterways

3,997 km navigable rivers and canals (1991)