Poland

Republic of PolandRzeczpospolita Polska

democratic state

Poland as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 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

Populationas each edition published it

38.61 million July 1999 est. · 37.78m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.05% 1999 est. · 0.35% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 36 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

73.06 years 1999 est. · 72.2 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.45 children per woman 1999 est. · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

12.76 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 13 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$6,800 1998 est. · $4,400 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5.6% 1998 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

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, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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

38,608,929

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

10.61Death

9.72Net migration

-0.4

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)73.06

68.93 · 77.41

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:: 20% (male 3,921,093; female 3,734,223)
15-64 years:: 68% (male 13,076,231; female 13,243,716)
65 years and over:: 12% (male 1,762,135; female 2,871,531) (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

12.76 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Pole(s)
adjective:: Polish

Religions

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

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)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

33.8%

-AWS 33.8%SLD 27.1%UW 13.4%PSL 7.3%ROP 5.6%MN 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

Data code

Government type

democratic state

Capital

Warsaw

Administrative divisions

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

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

Legal system

mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover communist legal theory;
changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process;
limited judicial review of legislative acts although under the new constitution, the Constitutional Tribunal ruling will become final as of October 1999;
court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg

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 in 1995;
percent of popular vote, second round--Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 51.7%, Lech WALESA 48.3%;
Jerzy BUZEK selected prime minister in 1997

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%, MN 0.4%, other 12.4%;
seats by party--AWS 201, SLD 164, UW 60, PSL 27, ROP 6, MN 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, MN 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 nine-year terms

Political parties and leaders

post-Communist:: Democratic Left Alliance or SLD (Social Democracy of KALINOWSKI]
post-Solidarity parties:: Freedom Union or UW; note--Democratic Union
non-Communist, non-Solidarity:: Movement for the Reconstruction of

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, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, 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
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 P1
mailing address:: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
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.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$6,800

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

5.6%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 7.9% (1998 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

11%

(1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

10%

(1998)

GDP--composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 5.1%industry 26.6%services 68.3% (1997)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

32.9%

Germany

24.1%

5.9%

Italy

9.9%

8.4%

Russia

6.3%

4.4%

France

5.9%

5.5%

4.7%

Ukraine

4.7%

Netherlands

4.5%

Exports $27.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)Imports $38.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Budget

Revenues

$36.5 billionExpenditures

$38.3 billion (1997 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 97.09%hydro 2.91%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

134.731 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

132.291 billion (1996)Electricity exports

7.925 billion (1996)Electricity imports

5.485 billion (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 70% 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, and telecommunications) has begun. Long-awaited privatizations in aviation and energy are scheduled for 1999.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$263 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

23.8% (1993 est.)

Labor force

17.4 million (1998 est.)

Labor force--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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$27.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities

manufactured goods, chemicals 57%, machinery and equipment 21%, food and live animals 12%, mineral fuels 7%, other 3%

Imports

$38.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports--commodities

manufactured goods, chemical 43%, machinery and equipment 36%, mineral fuels 9%, food and live animals 8%, other 4%

Debt--external

$42 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient

$4.312 billion (1995)

Currency

1 zloty (Zl) = 100 groszy

Exchange rates

zlotych (Zl) per US$1--3.5409 (January 1999), 3.4754 (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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

8.2 million

(1996)

Telephone system

underdeveloped and outmoded system;
government aims to have 10 million telephones in service by 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)

Television broadcast stations

150 (1997)

Televisions

9.4 million registered (1996)

Transportation

10 fields

Merchant marine, 61 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1998 est.)

bulk 53cargo 3chemical tanker 2roll-on/roll-off cargo 1short-sea passenger 2

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38 914 to 1,523 m: 6

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9

Networkskm

Highways

377,048Railways

24,313

Highways: paved: 247,721 km (including 264 km of expressways) · unpaved: 129,327 km (1997 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)