but could be trumped by election-year
politics in 2005. Poland joined the EU in May 2004, and surging
exports to the EU contributed to Poland's strong growth in 2004,
though its competitiveness could be threatened by the zloty's
appreciation. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic
states. Poland stands to benefit from nearly $13.5 billion in EU
funds, available through 2006. Farmers have already begun to reap
the rewards of membership via higher food prices and EU agricultural
subsidies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$463 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 31.3%
services: 65.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
17.02 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 16.1%, industry 29%, services 54.9% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
19.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
18.4% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $44.52 billion
expenditures: $54.93 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
49.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

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

Industrial production growth rate:
10% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
133.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 98.1%
hydro: 1.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
117.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
11.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
4.5 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
116.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
5.471 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
13.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natu