2005 Edition

Administrative divisions

16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 3,319,176/female 3,150,859) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 13,506,153/female 13,638,265) 65 years and over: 13% (male 1,912,431/female 3,108,260) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

Airports

123 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

84 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 40 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Area

land

304,465 sq km

total

312,685 sq km

water

8,220 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Mexico

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 currently suffers low GDP growth and high unemployment. 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. Geography Poland

Birth rate

10.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$54.93 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

revenues

$44.52 billion

Capital

Warsaw

Climate

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

Coastline

491 km

Constitution

adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997, passed by national referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Poland

conventional short form

Poland

local long form

Rzeczpospolita Polska

local short form

Polska

Currency (code)

zloty (PLN)

Currency code

PLN

Current account balance

$-3.831 billion (2004 est.)

Death rate

10.01 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$99.15 billion (2004 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Victor ASHE

consulate(s) general

Krakow

embassy

Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw

FAX

[48] (22) 504-2688

mailing address

American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)

telephone

[48] (22) 504-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

FAX

[1] (202) 328-6270

telephone

[1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802

Disputes - international

as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Distribution of family income - Gini index

31.6 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$17 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Economy - overview

Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done, especially in bringing down unemployment. The privatization of small and medium-sized state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged the development of the private business sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent corruption are hampering its further development. Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy), while recently initiated, have stalled. Reforms in health care, education, the pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on reducing losses in Polish state enterprises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers, most of whom pay no tax. The government has introduced a package of social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public spending by about $17 billion through 2007. Additional reductions are under discussion in the legislature but could be trumped by election-year politics in 2005. Poland joined the EU in May 2004, and surging exports to the EU contributed to Poland's strong growth in 2004, though its competitiveness could be threatened by the zloty's appreciation. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic states. Poland stands to benefit from nearly $13.5 billion in EU funds, available through 2006. Farmers have already begun to reap the rewards of membership via higher food prices and EU agricultural subsidies.

Electricity - consumption

117.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

11.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

4.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

133.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

98.1%

hydro

1.5%

nuclear

0%

other

0.4% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Rysy 2,499 m

lowest point

near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m

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 European Union code, but at substantial cost to business and the government

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

Ethnic groups

Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)

Exchange rates

zlotych per US dollar - 3.6576 (2004), 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002), 4.0939 (2001), 4.3461 (2000) note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Executive branch

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

chief of state

President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995)

election results

Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president; percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held October 2005); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm

head of government

Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA (since 24 June 2004)

Exports

$75.98 billion f.o.b. (2004 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 30%, Italy 6.1%, France 6%, UK 5.4%, Czech Republic 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Poland

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 Economy Poland

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

2.9%

industry

31.3%

services

65.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.6% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$463 billion (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

52 00 N, 20 00 E

Geography - note

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

Government type

republic

Heliports

3 (2004 est.) Military Poland

Highways

paved

249,088 km (including 399 km of expressways)

total

364,697 km

unpaved

115,609 km (2001)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

14,000 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)

Illicit drugs

major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Imports

$81.61 billion f.o.b. (2004 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 24.4%, Italy 7.9%, Russia 7.3%, France 6.7%, China 4.6% (2004)

Independence

11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

Industrial production growth rate

10% (2004 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

7.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

9.59 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.51 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.4% (2004 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Internet country code

.pl

Internet hosts

804,915 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

19 (2000)

Internet users

8.97 million (2003) Transportation Poland

Investment (gross fixed)

18.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Irrigated land

1,000 sq km (1998 est.)

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)

Labor force

17.02 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 16.1%, industry 29%, services 54.9% (2002)

Land boundaries

border countries

Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 526 km

total

2,788 km

Land use

arable land

45.91%

other

52.97% (2001)

permanent crops

1.12%

Languages

Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

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, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members are 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

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independents 5; Sejm - percent of vote by party - PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%, LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PiS 155, PO 133, SO 56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2 note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only

elections

Senate - last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by September 2009); Sejm elections last held September 25 2005 (next to be held by September 2009)

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.03 years (2005 est.)

male

70.71 years

total population

74.74 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.7% (2003 est.) Government Poland

male

99.8%

total population

99.8%

Location

Central Europe, east of Germany

Manpower available for military service

males age 17-49: 9,673,712 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 17-49: 7,740,164 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males

275,521 (2005 est.)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

defined by international treaties

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

38.49 years (2005 est.)

male

34.52 years

total

36.43 years

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1

registered in other countries

107 (2005)

total

7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT

Military branches

Land Forces, Navy, Polish Air Force (PSP)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$3.5 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.71% (2002) Transnational Issues Poland

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for compulsory military service after January 1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; in 2005 Poland plans to shorten the length of conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; 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 non-commissioned officers (April 2004)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Nationality

adjective

Polish

noun

Pole(s)

Natural gas - consumption

13.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

41 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

8.782 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

5.471 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

154.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Natural hazards

flooding

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

116.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Pipelines

gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004)

Political parties and leaders

Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or KL [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Jozef OLEKSY]; Dom Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]

Population

38,635,144 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

18.4% (2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.03% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Public debt

49.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

20.2 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

629 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge

23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational) (11,962 km electrified) (2004)

total

23,852 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$41.88 billion (2004 est.)

Sex ratio

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: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital

general assessment

underdeveloped and outmoded system in the process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile cellular telephone use

international

country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

12.3 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

17.401 million (2003)

Television broadcast stations

179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions

13.05 million (1997)

Terrain

mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Total fertility rate

1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

19.5% (2004 est.)

Waterways

3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003)