89), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6866
(1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)

_#_Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

_*_Communications
_#_Railroads: none

_#_Highways: 6.4 km dirt roads

_#_Ports: Bounty Bay

_#_Airports: none

_#_Telecommunications: 24 telephones; party line telephone service
on the island; stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV; diesel generator provides
electricity

_*_Defense Forces
_#_Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
_%_
_@_Poland
_*_Geography
_#_Total area: 312,680 km2; land area: 304,510 km2

_#_Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Mexico

_#_Land boundaries: 2,980 km total; Czechoslovakia 1,309 km,
Germany 456 km, USSR 1,215 km

_#_Coastline: 491 km

_#_Maritime claims:

Territorial sea: 12 nm

_#_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

_*_People
_#_Population: 37,799,638 (July 1991), growth rate 0.1% (1991)

_#_Birth rate: 14 births/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Net migration rate: - 4 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Infant mortality rate: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 77 years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Pole(s); adjective--Polish

_#_Ethnic divisions: Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%,
Belorussian (Byelorussian) 0.5% (1990 est.)

_#_Religion: Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing),
Russian Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%

_#_Language: 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