Poland

Rzeczpospolita Polska

democratic state

Poland as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 100 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalWarsaw
Position52 00 N, 20 00 E
Area312,683 sq km
LocationCentral Europe, east of Germany
1997

Every edition of Poland

Populationas each edition published it
38.62 million July 1997 est. · 37.78m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0% 1997 est. · 0.35% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 36 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
72.47 years 1997 est. · 72.2 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.43 children per woman 1997 est. · 2.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
13.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 13 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$6,400 1996 est. · $4,400 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
6% 1996 est. · 2% in 1993

Geography

Central Europe, east of Germany

18 fields

Land useshare of 312,683 sq km

arable land 47%permanent crops 1%permanent pastures 13%forests and woodland 29%other 10% (1993 est.)irrigated 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
312,683sq km
land: 304,510 sq kmwater: 8,173 sq kmslightly smaller than New Mexico
Coastline
491km
exclusive economic zone : defined by international treatiesterritorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
2,499m
Rysylowest point: Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
Land boundaries
2,888km
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

Location

Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates

52 00 N, 20 00 E

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Natural resources

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

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, 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, Law of the Sea

Geography - note

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

People

15 fields
Population
38,615,239
(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 0% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth
10.18Death
9.82Net migration
-0.4

Ethnic groups(1990 est.)

Polish 97.6%German 1.3%Ukrainian 0.6%Byelorussian 0.5% (1990 est.)
Literacy
99%
definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: 99%female: 98% (1978 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:
21% (male 4,235,659; female 4,038,016) 15-64 years : 67% (male 12,842,909; female 13,020,736)
65 years and over:
12% (male 1,698,505; female 2,779,414) (July 1997 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:
0.61 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

13.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
72.47 years
male :
68.27 years
female:
76.91 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.43 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Pole(s)
adjective:
Polish

Religions

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

Languages

Polish

Government

Democratic state; Prime Minister Wlodimierz CIMOSZEWICZ (since 7 February 1996), Deputy Prime Ministers Roman JAGIELINSKI (since 7 March 1995), Marek BELKA (since NA February 1997), and Miroslaw PIETRIEWICZ (since 7 February 1996)

21 fields

Country name

conventional long form :
Republic of Poland
conventional short form:
Poland
local long form:
Rzeczpospolita Polska
local short form:
Polska

Government type

democratic state

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

Independence

11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution

  • interim "small constitution" came into effect in December 1992 supplementing the heavily amended constitution of 22 July 1952;
  • referendum for a new constitution to be held 25 May 1997

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state :
President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995)
head of government:
Prime Minister Wlodimierz CIMOSZEWICZ (since 7 February 1996), Deputy Prime Ministers Roman JAGIELINSKI (since 7 March 1995), Marek BELKA (since NA February 1997), and Miroslaw PIETRIEWICZ (since 7 February 1996)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister appoints and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
elections:
  • president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  • election first round held 5 November 1995, second round held 19 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 2000);
  • prime minister and deputy prime ministers elected by the Sejm;
  • election last held NA 1996 (next to be held September 1997)
election results:
  • Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI elected president;
  • percent of legislative vote, second round - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 51.7%, Lech WALESA 48.3%;
  • Wlodimierz CIMOSZEWICZ selected prime minister

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists of the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms) and the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held 14 September 1997); Sejm elections last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held 14 September 1997)
election results:
  • Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - 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);
  • Sejm - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - 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

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

post-Communist:
Democratic Left Alliance or SLD (Social Democracy of Poland) [Jozef OLEKSY]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]
post-Solidarity parties:
  • Freedom Union or UW (Democratic Union and Liberal Democratic Congress merged to form Freedom Union) [Leszek BALCEROWICZ];
  • Christian-National Union or ZCHN [Marian PILKA];
  • Center Alliance Party or PC [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI];
  • Peasant Alliance or PL [Gabriel JANOWSKI];
  • Solidarity Electoral Action or AWS [Marian KRZAKLEWSKI];
  • Union of Labor or UP [Ryszard BUGAJ];
  • Conservative Party or PK [Aleksander HALL];
  • Nonparty Reform Bloc or BBWR [Jacek LIPINSKI];
  • Nonparty Reform Block United for Elections or BBWR-SW [Jerzy GWIZDZ]
non-Communist, non-Solidarity :
  • Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI];
  • Confederation for an Independent Poland or KPN [Leszek MOCZULSKI];
  • German Minority or MN [Gerhardt BARTODZIEJ];
  • Union of Real Politics or UPR [Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

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, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission :
Ambassador Jerzy KOZMINSKI
chancery:
2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802

FAX

[1] (202) 328-6271; consulate(s) general : Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Nicholas Andrew REY
embassy:
Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, Warsaw
mailing address:
American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010
telephone:
[48] (2) 628-30-41

FAX

[48] (2) 628-82-98; consulate(s) general: Krakow

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

In 1996, Poland continued to make good progress in | the difficult transition to a market economy.

22 fields
Real growth rate
6%
(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 8.5% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate
13.3%
(yearend 1996)
Labor force
17.662million
(1996 est.)by occupation: industry and construction 32.0%, agriculture 27.6%, trade, transport, and communications 14.7%, government and other 25.7% (1992)

GDP - composition by sector(1996 est.)

agriculture 6%industry 40%services 54% (1996 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$37.1 billionExpenditures
$40.6 billion (1996 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - overview

In 1996, Poland continued to make good progress in the difficult transition to a market economy. The transition 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, 6.5% in 1995, and 6.0% in 1996. Most of the growth since 1991 has come from the booming private sector, which now accounts for more than 60% of GDP, attributable mostly to the creation of new private firms.

Large-scale industry still remains largely in state hands. 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. The government has promised to extend privatization and social welfare reform and to maintain fiscal and monetary discipline. As for external debt, the burden was sharply reduced by reschedulings and write-offs of both private and official debt during 1991-95.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $246.3 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,400 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

29.64 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production

127.42 billion kWh (1994)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

total value:
$30.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities:
intermediate goods 38%, machinery and transport equipment 23%, consumer goods 21%, foodstuffs 10%, fuels 7% (1996 est.)
partners :
Germany 35.7%, Netherlands 5.9%, Russia 5.4%, Italy 4.9% (1994)

Imports

total value:
$34.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 32%, intermediate goods 20%, chemicals 15%, consumer goods 9%, food 9%, fuels 8% (1996 est.)
partners:
Germany 27.5%, Italy 8.4%, Russia 6.8%, UK 5.3% (1994)

Debt - external

$45.8 billion (1996 est.)

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

Currency

1 zloty (Zl) = 100 groszy

Exchange rates

  • zlotych (Zl) per US$1 - 2.8158 (January 1997), 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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields
Fixed lines
5 million
(1994)

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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 27, FM 27, shortwave 0

Radios

10.9 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

40 (Russian repeaters 5)

Televisions

9.6 million

Transportation

9 fields

Merchant marine, 125 ships by typeships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,952,937 GRT/2,933,887 DWT

bulk 72cargo 30chemical tanker 4container 7passenger 1refrigerated cargo 2roll-on/roll-off cargo 4short-sea passenger 5note: Poland owns an additional 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 233,906 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Cyprus, Liberia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Vanuatu (1996 est.)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m
7
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 27 914 to 1,523 m : 3

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
18
total: 65 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m : 32

Networkskm

Highways
372,479Railways
24,313
Highways: paved : 243,229 km (including 257 km of expressways) · unpaved: 129,250 km (1995 est.) · Railways: broad gauge : 652 km 1.520-m gauge · standard gauge: 22,243 km 1.435-m gauge (11,648 km electrified; 8,978 km double track) · narrow gauge: 1,418 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (1995)

Railways

total:
24,313 km
broad gauge :
652 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge:
22,243 km 1.435-m gauge (11,648 km electrified; 8,978 km double track)
narrow gauge:
1,418 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (1995)

Highways

total:
372,479 km
paved :
243,229 km (including 257 km of expressways)
unpaved:
129,250 km (1995 est.)

Waterways

3,997 km navigable rivers and canals (1991)

Pipelines

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

Ports and harbors

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

Airports

134 (1994 est.)

Military

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 10,321,399 (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Illicit drugs

major illicit producer of amphetamines for the international market; transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe PORTUGAL

Central Intelligence Agency. “Poland.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/poland/1997.

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