2023 Edition

Background

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 disorders 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.

Area

land

304,255 sq km

total

312,685 sq km

water

8,430 sq km

Area - comparative

about twice the size of Georgia; 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

highest point

Rysy 2,499 m

lowest point

near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m

mean elevation

173 m

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

760 sq km (2013)

Land boundaries

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

total

2,865 km

Land use

agricultural land

48.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 36.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 10.7% (2018 est.)

forest

30.6% (2018 est.)

other

21.2% (2018 est.)

Location

Central Europe, east of Germany

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

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

Major rivers (by length in km)

Wisla (Vistula) river source and mouth (shared with Belarus and Ukraine) - 1,213 kmnote - longest river in Poland

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

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

Population distribution

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

Terrain

mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Age structure

0-14 years

14.53% (male 2,839,788/female 2,680,401)

15-64 years

64.87% (male 12,364,282/female 12,280,814)

65 years and over

20.6% (2023 est.) (male 3,171,838/female 4,654,643)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

8.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

62.3% (2014)

Current health expenditure

6.5% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

56.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

12.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

28.6

potential support ratio

3.5 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

51.4

youth dependency ratio

23.4

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.1% of population

Education expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

note

note: represents ethnicity declared first

Gross reproduction rate

0.64 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

6.5 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

5.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

5.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.2%; note - data represent the language spoken at home; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; Poland ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2009 recognizing 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 (2011 est.)

major-language sample(s)

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

80 years

male

71.7 years

total population

75.8 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.8% (2021)

male

99.8%

total population

99.8%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2023)

vectorborne diseases

tickborne encephalitis

Major urban areas - population

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

Maternal mortality ratio

2 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

43.7 years

male

41.1 years

total

42.4 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

27.9 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Polish

noun

Pole(s)

Net migration rate

-6.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.1% (2016)

Physicians density

3.77 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

37,991,766 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

-1.03% (2023 est.)

Religions

Catholic 85% (includes Roman Catholic 84.8% and other Catholic 0.3%), Orthodox 1.3% (almost all are Polish Autocephalous Orthodox), Protestant 0.4% (mainly Augsburg Evangelical and Pentecostal), other 0.3% (includes Jehovah's Witness, Buddhist, Hare Krishna, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Muslim, Jewish, Church of Jesus Christ), unspecified 12.9% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2020)

male

15 years

total

16 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.68 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.9 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

20.1% (2020 est.)

male

27.9% (2020 est.)

total

24% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.31 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

60.2% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

16 voivodships [provinces] (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); 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)

Capital

daylight saving time

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

etymology

the origin of the name is unknown; the Polish designation "Warszawa" was the name of a fishing village and several legends/traditions 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

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

Constitution

amendments

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; amended 2006, 2009

history

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

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Poland

conventional short form

Poland

etymology

name derives from the Polanians, a west Slavic tribe that united several surrounding Slavic groups (9th-10th centuries A.D.) and who passed on their name to the country; the name of the tribe likely comes from the Slavic "pole" (field or plain), indicating the flat nature of their country

former

Polish People's Republic

local long form

Rzeczpospolita Polska

local short form

Polska

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Mark BRZEZINSKI (since 19 January 2022)

consulate(s) general

Krakow

email address and website

acswarsaw@state.govhttps://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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Marek Grzegorz MAGIEROWSKI (since 13 January 2022)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

washington.amb.sekretariat@msz.gov.plhttps://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/embassy-washington

FAX

[1] (202) 328-2152; [1] (202) 328-6271

telephone

[1] (202) 499-1700

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Andrzej DUDA (since 6 August 2015)

election results

2020: Andrzej DUDA reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49%2015: Andrzej DUDA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51.5%, Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI (independent) 48.5%  

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 June 2020 with a second round on 12 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025); 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

head of government

Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 11 December 2023); Deputy Prime Ministers Piotr GLINSKI (since 16 November 2015), Jacek SASIN (since 15 November 2019), Henryk KOWALCZYK (since 26 October 2021), and Mariusz BLASZCZAK (since 22 June 2022)

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

note: similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

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

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate or Senat (100 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)Sejm (460 seats; members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote with 5% threshold of total votes needed for parties and 8% for coalitions to gain seats; minority parties exempt from threshold; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NASejm (preliminary results as of 10/15/2023): PiS 35.4%, KO 30.7%, TD 14.4%, Lewica 8.6%, Konf 7.2%; seats by party - PiS 194, KO 157, TD 65, Lewica 26, Konf 18

elections

Senate - last held on 15 October 2023 (next to be held in 2027)Sejm - last held on 15 October 2023 (next to be held in 2027)

note

note: the designation National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the 2 houses meet jointly

National anthem

lyrics/music

Jozef WYBICKI/traditional

name

"Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka)

note

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

National heritage

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)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

National symbol(s)

white crowned eagle; national colors: white, red

Political parties and leaders

Agreement [Jaroslaw GOWIN]Civic Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]Konfederacja [Krzysztof BOSAK]Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]New Left or NL [Wlodzimierz CZARZASTY and Robert BIEDRON]Poland 2050 [Szymon HOLOWNIA]Polish People's Party or PSL [Wladyslaw KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ]Republican Party or R [Adam BIELAN]United Poland or SP [Zbigniew ZIOBRO]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, triticale, maize, barley, apples, mixed grains, rye

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

5.7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

16.7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$248.868 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$244.485 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

A- (2007)

Moody's rating

A2 (2002)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

A- (2018)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$2.832 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$17.319 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$4.568 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$373.721 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$351.77 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

diversified, high-growth European economy; COVID-19 led to first recession in nearly 3 decades, albeit small; EU and NATO member; bolstering US relations; economic concentration in western region; aging labor force; growing debt

Exchange rates

Currency

zlotych (PLN) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

3.779 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

3.612 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

3.839 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

3.9 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

3.862 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$330.934 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$336.317 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$411.621 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

cars and vehicle parts, seats, furniture, electric batteries, computers (2020)

Exports - partners

Germany 28%, UK 6%, Czechia 6%, France 6%, Netherlands 4% (2020)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

54% (2017 est.)

government consumption

17.7% (2017 est.)

household consumption

58.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-49.9% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

17.7% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

2% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.4% (2017 est.)

industry

40.2% (2017 est.)

services

57.4% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$595.72 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

30.2 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23.9% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

3%

Imports

Imports 2019

$302.525 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$295.897 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$380.699 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

cars and vehicle parts, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, office machinery/parts (2020)

Imports - partners

Germany 25%, China 12%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 5%, Czechia 4% (2020)

Industrial production growth rate

3.36% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.23% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

3.37% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

5.06% (2021 est.)

Labor force

18.212 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

15.4% (2018 est.)

Public debt

note

note: 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 2016

54.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

50.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$1.259 trillion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$1.233 trillion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$1.318 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

4.45% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-2.02% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.85% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$33,200 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$32,500 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$34,900 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$128.392 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$154.219 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$166.03 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.48% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

3.28% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

3.16% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

3.37% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

15%

male

12.3%

total

13.4% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

176.938 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

37.158 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

89.944 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

304.04 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

110.674 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

11.063 million metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

13.281 million metric tons (2020 est.)

production

108.152 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

26.932 billion metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

149.203 billion kWh (2020 est.)

exports

7.357 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports

20.624 billion kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

47.269 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

9.995 billion kWh (2020 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

79.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

1.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

10.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

112.831 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

21.464 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports

704.975 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports

16.633 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

production

5.667 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves

91.492 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

6,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

542,100 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

113 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

697,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

28,400 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

104,800 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

222,300 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

554,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

22 (2020 est.)

total

8,369,218 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run public TV operates 2 national channels supplemented by 16 regional channels and several niche channels; privately owned entities operate several national TV networks and a number of special interest channels; many 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 many privately owned local radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.pl

Internet users

percent of population

85% (2021 est.)

total

32.3 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 14 per 100 (service lags in rural areas), mobile-cellular is 132 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

the liberalized telecom market has seen considerable development in the broadband and mobile sectors; the regulatory environment has encouraged market competition, partly by encouraging operators to secure spectrum and also by ensuring access to cable and fiber infrastructure; the mobile market in recent years has been characterized by the rapid extension of LTE and 5G networks, and the development of mobile data services based on newly released and re-farmed spectrum; the regulator’s attempts to auction spectrum in a range of bands has been delayed, with spectrum in the 5G-suitable 3.4-3.8GHz range having been put back to later in 2023 as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak and changes to legislation (2021)

international

country code - 48; landing points for the Baltica and the Denmark-Poland2 submarine cables connecting Poland, Denmark and Sweden; international direct dialing with automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

5,308,497 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

132 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

50,588,785 (2021 est.)

Airports

126 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

civil airports

13

military airports

13

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

other airports

61

total

87

Airports - with unpaved runways

39

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

SP

Heliports

6 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 7, oil tanker 6, other 136

total

149 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

271.49 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

9,277,538 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

169

number of registered air carriers

6 (2020)

Pipelines

14,198 km gas, 1,374 km oil, 2,483 km refined products (2018)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Gdansk (2,117,829) (2021)

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Swinoujscie

major seaport(s)

Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie

river port(s)

Szczecin (River Oder)

Railways

total

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

Roadways

paved

291,000 km (2016) (includes 1,492 km of expressways, 1,559 of motorways)

total

420,000 km (2016)

unpaved

129,000 km (2016)

Waterways

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

Military - note

Poland’s geographic location on NATO’s eastern flank and its history of foreign invasion underpin the Polish military’s heavy focus on territorial and border defense and supporting its NATO and EU security commitments; its chief concern is Russian aggression, particularly following Moscow’s seizure of Crimea in 2014 and full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2022, which has led to increased defense spending and modernization efforts, as well as efforts to boost the NATO and US military presence; since 2014, Poland has been hosting 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); in 2022, the US announced it would establish a permanent corps headquarters in Poland to command US rotational forces in Europe; Poland also participates in a variety of EU and NATO military deployments in Africa, the Baltic States, Southern Europe, and the Middle East; Poland provided considerable support to the NATO mission in Afghanistan, where more than 30,000 military personnel served over a 20-year period before the mission ended in 2021the Polish military is a professional and volunteer force that exercises regularly, including with NATO partners; it is organized into a General Staff, an Armed Forces General Command, an Armed Forces Operational Command, Territorial Defense Forces (established 2017), Military Police, and the Warsaw Garrison Command;  the Army is comprised of several armored cavalry and mechanized infantry divisions, which are complemented by independent airborne, air mobile, and aviation brigades, as well as armored reconnaissance and artillery regiments ; the active forces are backed up by the Territorial Defense Forces, which have nearly 20 light infantry brigades manned by part-time reserve personnel; the Navy is a compact force for defending Poland's territorial waters, coastline, and its interests abroad, as well as providing support to NATO missions; its principal warships are two frigates, two corvettes, three attack submarines, and a few fast-attack craft; it also has a considerable force of mine warfare vessels, as well as a naval aviation brigade focused on anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrolling; the Air Force has a mix of about 80 Soviet-era and more modern US fighter aircraft; it has more advanced US (F-35s) and South Korean (FA-50s) on order to replace its Soviet-era inventory beginning in 2024; Poland also has a joint special forces command with air, ground, and maritime components (2023)

Military and security forces

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)Ministry of Interior and Administration: Polish National Police (Policja); Border Guard (Straż Graniczna or SG) (2023)

note

note: as of 2023, Cyberspace Defense Forces (Wojska Obrony Cyberprzestrzeni) were in development

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 120,000 active-duty personnel (65,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force; 3,000 Special Forces; 30,000 joint service/other); approximately 40,000 Territorial Defense Forces (2023)

note

note: in June 2019, the Polish Government approved a plan to increase the size of the military over a period of 10 years to over 200,000 troops, including doubling the size of the Territorial Defense Forces; in 2021, it announced additional plans to increase the size of the military to over 300,000 personnel

Military deployments

250 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 180 Latvia (NATO); 200 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 230 Romania (NATO) (2023)

note

note 1: 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 operationnote 2: in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries, including Poland, have committed additional troops and equipment to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in the Baltic States and eastern Europe

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory consists of a mix of Soviet-era and more modern, NATO-compatible, weapons systems; in recent years, the leading suppliers of armaments have included several European countries, South Korea, and the US; Poland has a large domestic defense sector that produces or provides upgrades to a wide variety of weapons systems, particularly ground systems such as tanks and other armored vehicles; it also cooperates with the European and US defense sectors (2023)

note

note: in late 2018, Poland announced a 7-year (through 2026) approximately $50 billion defense modernization plan that would include such items as 5th generation combat aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, rocket artillery, helicopters, submarines, frigates, and improved cyber security; in 2022, it signed large military weapons contracts with South Korea and the US

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

2% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.2% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.2% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

3.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription phased out in 2009-12; 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; women serve in the military on the same terms as men (2023)

note

note 1: as of 2019, women made up about 7% of the military's full-time personnelnote 2: in May 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

Disputes - international

Poland-Belarus-Ukraine: 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

a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

954,600 (Ukraine) (as of 20 November 2023)

stateless persons

1,435 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

Polish Space Agency (POLSA; established 2014; operational in 2015); Space Research Center (SRC, interdisciplinary research institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences that acted as Poland’s space agency until POLSA was established in 1977) (2023)

Space program overview

space program is integrated within the framework of the European Space Agency (ESA); builds satellites, including nano/cube remote sensing (RS) and educational/scientific/technology satellites; researches and develops communications, RS, navigational, and other scientific applications for satellite payloads; creating infrastructure for receiving, storing, processing and distributing data from meteorological and environmental satellites; researches and develops other space-related technologies, including sensors and robotic probes for interplanetary landers, and launcher systems; participates in international space programs and cooperates with a variety of 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 growing commercial space sector with more than 300 active enterprises (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: 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 Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

299.04 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

46.62 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

18.83 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

decreased emphasis on heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-communist governments has improved environment; air pollution remains serious because of emissions from burning low-quality coals in homes and from coal-fired power plants; the resulting acid rain causes forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes

Environment - international agreements

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

Land use

agricultural land

48.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 36.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 10.7% (2018 est.)

forest

30.6% (2018 est.)

other

21.2% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

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

Major rivers (by length in km)

Wisla (Vistula) river source and mouth (shared with Belarus and Ukraine) - 1,213 kmnote - longest river in Poland

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0.27% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.17% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

60.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.39 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

5.87 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

1.96 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

60.2% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

10.863 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

2,866,746 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

26.4% (2015 est.)