2010 Edition

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.

Area

land

304,255 sq km

total

312,685 sq km

water

8,430 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Mexico

Climate

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

Coastline

440 km

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 EU 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

304 cu m/yr (2002)

total

11.73 cu km/yr (13%/79%/8%)

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

Irrigated land

1,000 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 615 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Slovakia 420 km, Ukraine 428 km

total

3,047 km

Land use

arable land

40.25%

other

58.75% (2005)

permanent crops

1%

Location

Central Europe, east of Germany

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

defined by international treaties

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

flooding

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Total renewable water resources

63.1 cu km (2005)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15% (male 2,964,995/female 2,802,278) 15-64 years: 71.6% (male 13,713,078/female 13,845,251) 65 years and over: 13.4% (male 1,966,406/female 3,190,911) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

10.04 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

10.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.9% of GDP (2007)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

20,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

5.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

7.38 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.66 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.06 years (2010 est.)

male

71.88 years

total population

75.85 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.7% (2003 est.)

male

99.8%

total population

99.8%

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 (2009)

Median age

female

40 years (2010 est.)

male

36.5 years

total

38.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Polish

noun

Pole(s)

Net migration rate

-0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

38,463,689 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.053% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2007)

male

15 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.061 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 (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.29 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

-0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

61% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie, Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie, Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

52 15 N, 21 00 E

name

Warsaw

time difference

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Lee FEINSTEIN

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, 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 Robert KUPIECKI

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 328-6271

telephone

[1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802

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 (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI (since 6 August 2010)

election results

Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI elected president; percent of popular vote - Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI 53%, Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI 47%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 June and 4 July 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm

head of government

Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 16 November 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Waldemar PAWLAK (since 16 November 2007)

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; colors derive from the Polish emblem - a white eagle on a red field note: similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Government type

republic

Independence

11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)

International organization participation

Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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)

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

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature consists of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members 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 - 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 December 2010 - PO 203, PiS 147, SLD 44, PSL 31, PJN 17, SPDL 4, DKP_SD 3, German minorities 1, Independents 9, Vacant 1 note: one seat is assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only

elections

Senate - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held by October 2011); Sejm - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held by October 2011)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Jozef WYBICKI/traditional note: adopted 1927; the anthem, commonly known as "Jeszcze Polska nie zginela" (Poland Has Not Yet Perished), was written in 1797; the lyrics resonate strongly with Poles because they reflect the numerous occasions in which the nation's lands have been occupied

name

"Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Political parties and leaders

Civic Platform or PO [Donald TUSK, chairman; Tomasz TOMCZYKIEWICZ, parliamentary caucus leader]; Democratic Caucus of the Democratic Party (SD) or DKP SD [Bogdan LIS, parliamentary caucus leader]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Grzegorz NAPIERALSKI, chairman, parlimentary caucus leader]; Democratic Party or PD [Brygida KUZNIAK, chairwoman]; Democratic Party or SD [Pawel PISKORSKI, chairman]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Richard GALL, representative]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI, chairman; Mariusz BLASZCZAK, parliamentary caucus leader]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Witold BALAZAK, chairman]; Poland is the most important or PJN [Joanna KLUZIK-ROSTKOWSKA, president]; Polish People's Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK, chairman; Stanislaw ZELICHOWSKI, parliamentary caucus leader]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej LEPPER, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Wojciech FILEMONOWICZ, chairman; Marek BOROWSKI, parliamentary caucus leader]; Union of Labor or UP [Waldemar WITKOWSKI, chairman]

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 [Piotr DUDA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

1.75% (31 December 2009) 5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.99% (31 December 2008 est.) 5.72% (31 December 2007 est.)

Current account balance

-$12.33 billion (2010 est.) -$9.598 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$252.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $239.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

34.9 (2005) 31.6 (1998)

Economy - overview

Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization since 1990 and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. Before 2009, GDP had grown about 5% annually, 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 fell rapidly to 6.4% in October 2008, but climbed back to 11.8% for the year 2010, exceeding the EU average by more than 2%. In 2008 inflation reached 4.2%, more than the upper limit of the National Bank of Poland's target range, but fell to 2.4% in 2010 due to global economic slowdown. Poland's economic performance could improve over the longer term if the country addresses some of the remaining deficiencies in its road and rail infrastructure and its business environment. An inefficient commercial court system, a rigid labor code, bureaucratic red tape, burdensome tax system, 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 caused the public sector budget deficit to rise to 7.9% of GDP in 2010. The PO/PSL coalition government, which came to power in November 2007, plans to reduce the budget deficit in 2011 and has also announced its intention to enact business-friendly reforms, increase workforce participation, reduce public sector spending growth, lower taxes, and accelerate privatization. The government, however, has moved slowly on major reforms. The legislature passed a law significantly limiting early retirement benefits. A health-care bill also passed through the legislature, but the legislature failed to overturn a presidential veto.

Electricity - consumption

129.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

9.703 billion kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports

8.48 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

149.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

zlotych (PLN) per US dollar - 3.0718 (2010), 3.1214 (2009), 2.3 (2008), 2.81 (2007), 3.1032 (2006)

Exports

$160.8 billion (2010 est.) $142.1 billion (2009 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%

Exports - partners

Germany 26.06%, Italy 6.84%, France 6.78%, UK 6.38%, Czech Republic 5.85%, Netherlands 4.14% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.9%

industry

31.8%

services

63% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$18,800 (2010 est.) $18,200 (2009 est.) $17,800 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2010 est.) 1.7% (2009 est.) 5.1% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$438.9 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$721.7 billion (2010 est.) $698.6 billion (2009 est.) $687 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 27.2% (2005)

Imports

$167.4 billion (2010 est.) $146.4 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 15%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9%

Imports - partners

Germany 28.08%, Russia 8.65%, Italy 6.5%, Netherlands 5.59%, China 5.27%, France 4.6%, Czech Republic 4.05% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

6.5% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (2010 est.) 3.5% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.5% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

17 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

17.4%

industry

29.2%

services

53.4% (2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$135.3 billion (31 December 2009) $90.23 billion (31 December 2008) $207.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

16.33 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports

40 million cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - imports

9.954 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - production

5.842 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

164.8 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

545,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

65,280 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - imports

553,900 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - production

34,140 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

96.38 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

17% (2003 est.)

Public debt

50.5% of GDP (2010 est.) 46.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$99.76 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $79.58 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$251.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $229.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$30.71 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $26.21 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$198.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $182.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$288.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $264.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$138.7 billion (31 December 2010 est) $124.6 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

11.8% (2010 est.) 11% (2009 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run public television operates 2 national channels supplemented by 16 regional channels and several niche channels; privately-owned entities operate several national TV broadcast networks and a number of special interest channels; large number of privately-owned channels broadcasting locally; roughly half of all households are linked to either satellite or cable TV systems providing access to foreign television networks; state-run public radio operates 5 national networks and 17 regional radio stations; 2 privately-owned national radio networks, several commercial stations broadcasting to multiple cities, and a large number of privately-owned local radio stations (2007)

Internet country code

.pl

Internet hosts

10.51 million (2010)

Internet users

22.452 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

mobile-cellular service available since 1993 and provided by three nation-wide networks with a fourth provider beginning operations in late 2006; coverage is generally good with some gaps in the east; fixed-line service lags in rural areas

general assessment

modernization of the telecommunications network has accelerated with market-based competition; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is dwarfed by the growth in mobile-cellular services

international

country code - 48; international direct dialing with automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

9.556 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

44.553 million (2009)

Airports

129 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

86 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: 6 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

43 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 21 (2010)

Heliports

7 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 6, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo 1

registered in other countries

104 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Bahamas 32, Cyprus 20, Liberia 13, Malta 22, Norway 2, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Slovakia 2, Vanuatu 7) (2010)

total

10

Pipelines

gas 13,631 km; oil 1,384 km; refined products 777 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Railways

broad gauge

633 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge

21,681 km 1.435-m gauge (11,769 km electrified) (2007)

total

22,314 km

Roadways

paved

295,356 km (includes 765 km of expressways)

total

423,997 km

unpaved

128,641 km (2008)

Waterways

3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 9,597,047 females age 16-49: 9,364,939 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 7,860,841 females age 16-49: 7,828,221 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

224,801 (2010 est.)

male

235,248

Military branches

Polish Armed Forces

Land Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Aviation Forces, Special Forces (2010)

Military expenditures

1.71% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-28 years of age for male voluntary or compulsory military service; service obligation shortened from 12 to 9 months in 2005; conscription is to end in 2012; 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; reserve obligation to age 50 (2009)

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 page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================