304,510 km2
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
3,321 km total; Belarus 605 km, Czechoslovakia 1,309 km, Germany 456 km,
Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Ukraine 428 km
Coastline:
491 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
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
Land use:
arable land 46%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 13%; forest and
woodland 28%; other 12%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Environment:
plain crossed by a few north flowing, meandering streams; severe air and
water pollution in south
Note:
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of
natural barriers on the North European Plain

:Poland People

Population:
38,385,617 (July 1992), growth rate 0.4% (1992)
Birth rate:
14 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
10 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
14 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
68 years male, 76 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.0 children born/woman(1992)
Nationality:
noun - Pole(s); adjective - Polish
Ethnic divisions:
Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Belorussian 0.5% (1990 est.)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Russian Orthodox, Protestant, and
other 5%
Languages:
Polish
Literacy:
98% (male 99%, female 98%) age 15 and over can read and write (1978)
Labor force:
17,104,000; industry and construction 36.1%; agriculture 27.3%; trade,
transport, and communications 14.8%; government and other 21.8% (1989)
Organized labor:
trade union pluralism

:Poland Government

Long-form name:
Republic of Poland
Type:
democratic state
Capital:
Warsaw
Administrative divisions:
49 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Biaa Podlaska, Biaystok,
Bielsko, Bydgoszcz, Chem, Ciechanow, Czestochowa, Elblag, Gdansk, Gorzow,
Jelenia Gora, Kalisz, Katowice, Kielce, Konin, Koszalin, Krakow, Krosno,
Legnica, Lesz