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. |
|
|
|
Location:
|
| Central Europe, east of Germany
|
|
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
|
52 00 N, 20 00 E
|
|
|
Map references:
|
|
|
Area:
|
|
total: 312,685 sq km
country comparison to the world: 76
land:
304,255 sq km
water:
8,430 sq km
|
|
|
Area - comparative:
|
|
slightly smaller than New Mexico
|
|
|
Land boundaries:
|
|
total: 3,047 km
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
|
|
|
Coastline:
|
|
440 km
|
|
|
Maritime claims:
|
|
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone:
defined by international treaties
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
Elevation extremes:
|
|
lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point:
Rysy 2,499 m
|
|
|
Natural resources:
|
|
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
|
|
|
Land use:
|
|
arable land: 40.25%
permanent crops:
1%
other:
58.75% (2005)
|
|
|
Irrigated land:
|
|
1,000 sq km (2003)
|
|
|
Total renewable water resources:
|
|
63.1 cu km (2005)
|
|
|
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
|
total: 11.73 cu km/yr (13%/79%/8%)
per capita:
304 cu m/yr (2002)
|
|
|
Natural hazards:
|
|
flooding
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
Geography - note:
|
|
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain |
|
|
|
Population:
|
| 38,482,919 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
|
|
|
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) (2009 est.)
|
|
|
Median age:
|
|
total: 37.9 years
male:
36.1 years
female:
39.7 years (2009 est.)
|
|
|
Population growth rate:
|
|
-0.047% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
|
|
|
Birth rate:
|
|
10.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
|
|
|
Death rate:
|
|
10.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
|
|
|
Net migration rate:
|
|
-0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
|
|
|
Urbanization:
|
|
urban population: 61% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
-0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
|
|
|
Sex ratio:
|
|
at birth: 1.06 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 (2009 est.)
|
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
|
total: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 172
male:
7.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
6.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
|
|
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
|
total population: 75.63 years
country comparison to the world: 75
male:
71.65 years
female:
79.85 years (2009 est.)
|
|
|
Total fertility rate:
|
|
1.28 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
|
|
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
|
0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
|
|
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
|
20,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
|
|
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
|
fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
|
|
|
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)
|
|
|
Nationality:
|
|
noun: Pole(s)
adjective:
Polish
|
|
|
Ethnic groups:
|
|
Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)
|
|
|
Religions:
|
|
Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)
|
|
|
Languages:
|
|
Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
|
|
|
Literacy:
|
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
99.8%
male:
99.8%
female:
99.7% (2003 est.)
|
|
|
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
|
|
total: 15 years
male:
15 years
female:
16 years (2006)
|
|
|
Education expenditures:
|
|
5.5% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 51
|
|
|
|
|
