Poland

Republic of PolandRzeczpospolita Polska

democratic state

Poland as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 102 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
1998

Every edition of Poland

Populationas each edition published it
38.61 million July 1998 est. · 37.78m in 1990
Population growth% a year
-0.04% 1998 est. · 0.35% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 36 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
72.77 years 1998 est. · 72.2 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.36 children per woman 1998 est. · 2.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
13.18 deaths per 1,000 live births 1998 est. · 13 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$7,250 1997 est. · $4,400 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
6.9% 1997 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
38,606,922
(July 1998 est.)growth rate: -0.04% (1998 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)

Birth
9.79Death
9.76Net migration
-0.4

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1998 est.)72.77
68.6 · 77.16
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1978 est.)99%
99% · 98%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups(1990 est.)

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

Age structure

0-14 years:
21% (male 4,075,959; female 3,883,778)
15-64 years:
68% (male 12,956,689; female 13,129,495)
65 years and over:
11% (male 1,732,788; female 2,828,213) (July 1998 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.61 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate

13.18 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.36 children born/woman (1998 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; President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995); Prime Minister Jerzy BUZEK (since NA October 1997), Deputy Prime Ministers Leszek BALCEROWICZ (since 31 October 1997), Janusz TOMASZEWSKI (since 31 October 1997)

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

33.8%
AWS 33.8%SLD 27.1%UW 13.4%PSL 7.3%ROP 5.6%German Minority 0.4%other 12.4%Sejm elections last held 21 September 1997 (next to be held by NA September 2001); Senate-last held 21 September 1997 (next to be held by NA September 2001)

Legislature, 100 seatsone dot, one seat

AWS 51SLD 28UW 8ROP 5PSL 3independents 5

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); Independence Day, November 11 (1918)

Constitution

  • 16 October 1997;
  • adopted by the National Assembly on 2 April 1997;
  • passed by national referendum 23 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 Jerzy BUZEK (since NA October 1997), Deputy Prime Ministers Leszek BALCEROWICZ (since 31 October 1997), Janusz TOMASZEWSKI (since 31 October 1997)
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
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 appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm
election results:
  • Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI elected president;
  • percent of legislative vote, second round-Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 51.7%, Lech WALESA 48.3%;
  • Jerzy BUZEK selected prime minister

Legislative branch

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

elections:
Sejm elections last held 21 September 1997 (next to be held by NA September 2001); Senate-last held 21 September 1997 (next to be held by NA September 2001)
election results:
  • Sejm-percent of vote by party-AWS 33.8%, SLD 27.1%, UW 13.4%, PSL 7.3%, ROP 5.6%, German Minority 0.4%, other 12.4%;
  • seats by party-AWS 201, SLD 164, UW 60, PSL 27, ROP 6, German Minority 2;
  • Senate-percent of vote by party-NA;
  • seats by party-AWS 51, SLD 28, UW 8, ROP 5, PSL 3, independents 5;
  • note-seats by party in the Sejm as of

December 1997

AWS 200, SLD 164, UW 60, PSL 26, ROP 4, German Minority 2, other 4 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 the Judiciary for an indefinite period;
  • Constitutional Tribunal, judges are chosen by the Sejm for a 9-year term

Political parties and leaders

post-Communist:
Democratic Left Alliance or SLD (Social Democracy of Poland) [Leszek MILLER]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Jaroslaw KALINOWSKI]
post-Solidarity parties:
  • Freedom Union or UW;
  • note-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 [Aleksander MALACHOWSKI];
  • 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 [Mariusz DZIERZAWSKY]

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, EAPC, 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, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, 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 Daniel FRIED
embassy:
Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-054, Warsaw
mailing address:
American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
telephone:
[48] (22) 628-30-41

FAX

[48] (22) 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

Poland today stands out as one of the most | successful and open transition economies.

28 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
-$280.7billion
purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
-$7,250
purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)
Real growth rate
6.9%
(1997 est.)industrial production growth: 11.2% (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector(1996 est.)

agriculture 6.6%industry 34.9%services 58.5% (1996 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$33.8 billionExpenditures
$35.5 billion (1997 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA
Fixed lines
8.2 million
(1996)

Economy-overview

Poland today stands out as one of the most successful and open transition economies. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms marked the rapid development of a private sector now responsible for at least two-thirds of economic activity.

In contrast to the vibrant expansion of private non-farm activity, the large agriculture component remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. The government's determination to enter the EU as soon as possible affects all aspects of its economic policies.

Improving Poland's worsening current account deficit also is a priority. To date, the government has resisted pressure for protectionist solutions and continues to support regional free trade initiatives. The government export strategy emphasizes a more aggressive export assistance program.

Warsaw continues to hold the budget deficit to less than 2% of GDP. Further progress on public finance depends mainly on comprehensive reform of the social welfare system and privatization of Poland's remaining state sector. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel) has been delayed. Long-awaited privatizations in aviation, energy, and telecommunications are scheduled for 1998.

Labor force

total:
17.7 million (1997 est.)
by occupation:
industry and construction 29.9%, agriculture 26%, services 44.1% (1996)

Industries

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

Electricity-capacity

33.5 million kW (1997 est.)

Electricity-production

142 billion kWh (1997 est.)

Agriculture-products

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

Exports

total value:
$26.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities:
intermediate goods 38%, machinery and transport equipment 23%, consumer goods 21%, foodstuffs 10%, fuels 7% (1996 est.)
partners:
Germany 34.5%, Russia 6.8%, France 5.9%, Italy 5.6%, US 4.8%, Netherlands 4.1% (1996)

Imports

total value:
$44.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 32%, intermediate goods 20%, chemicals 15%, consumer goods 9%, food 9%, fuels 8% (1996 est.)
partners:
Germany 26.5%, Italy 10.4%, Russia 7.3%, UK 6.3%, Netherlands 4.8%, France 4.4% (1996)

Debt-external

$43 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: US, $210 million (1995-97)

Currency

1 zloty (Zl) = 100 groszy

Exchange rates

  • zlotych (Zl) per US$1-3.54 (January 1998), 3.2793 (1997), 2.6961 (1996), 2.4250 (1995);
  • note-a currency reform on 1 January 1995 replaced 10,000 old zlotys with 1 new zloty;
  • 22,723 (1994), 18,115 (1993), 13,626 (1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

Telephone system

  • underdeveloped and outmoded system;
  • government aims to have 10 million phones in service by the year 2000;
  • the process of partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly has begun
domestic:
cable, open wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks
international:
satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 27, FM 75, shortwave 1 (1994 est.)

Radios

9.9 million registered (1996)

Televisions

9.4 million registered (1996)

Transportation

10 fields

Merchant marine, 90 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,574,637 GRT/2,446,849 DWT

bulk 67cargo 10chemical tanker 3container 2passenger 1refrigerated cargo 2roll-on/roll-off cargo 1short-sea passenger 4note: Poland owns an additional 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 459,793 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Cyprus, Liberia, Malta, and Vanuatu (1997 est.)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m
3
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 6

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
5
total: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8

Networkskm

Highways
374,990Railways
24,313
Highways: paved: 245,243 km (including 258 km of expressways) · unpaved: 129,747 km (1996 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 (1996)

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 (1996)

Highways

total:
374,990 km
paved:
245,243 km (including 258 km of expressways)
unpaved:
129,747 km (1996 est.)

Waterways

3,812 km navigable rivers and canals (1996)

Pipelines

crude oil and petroleum products 2,280 km; natural gas 17,000 km (1996)

Ports and harbors

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

Airports

83 (1997 est.)

Heliports

3 (1997 est.)

Military

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, Territorial

1 field

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, Territorial

Defense Forces

6 fields

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 10,374,242 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service

males: 8,069,611 (1998 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 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/poland/1998.

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