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Background:
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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.
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Location:
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Central Europe, east of Germany
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Geographic coordinates:
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52 00 N, 20 00 E
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Map references:
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Area:
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total: 312,685 sq km
land: 304,465 sq km
water: 8,220 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than New Mexico
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Land boundaries:
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total: 3,056 km
border countries: Belarus 416 km, Czech Republic 790 km, Germany 467 km, Lithuania 103 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia 541 km, Ukraine 529 km
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Coastline:
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491 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
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Climate:
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temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
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Terrain:
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mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
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Natural resources:
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coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
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Land use:
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arable land: 40.25%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 58.75% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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1,000 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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63.1 cu km (2005)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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Total: 11.73 cu km/yr (13%/79%/8%)
Per capita: 304 cu m/yr (2002)
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Natural hazards:
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flooding
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
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Population:
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38,518,241 (July 2007 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 15.5% (male 3,070,388/female 2,906,121)
15-64 years: 71.1% (male 13,639,012/female 13,761,154)
65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,964,429/female 3,177,137) (2007 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 37.3 years
male: 35.4 years
female: 39.3 years (2007 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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-0.046% (2007 est.)
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Birth rate:
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9.94 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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Death rate:
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9.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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-0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.057 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.991 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.618 male(s)/female
total population: 0.941 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 7.07 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 75.19 years
male: 71.18 years
female: 79.44 years (2007 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.26 children born/woman (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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14,000 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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100 (2001 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: Pole(s)
adjective: Polish
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Ethnic groups:
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Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)
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Languages:
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Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
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This page was last updated on 24 January, 2008
- The Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook - |
