farms, and lack of investment. The government's
determination to enter the EU as soon as possible affects all aspects
of its economic policies. Improving Poland's worsening current account
deficit also is a priority. To date, the government has resisted
pressure for protectionist solutions and continues to support regional
free trade initiatives. The government export strategy emphasizes a
more aggressive export assistance program. Warsaw continues to hold
the budget deficit to less than 2% of GDP. Further progress on public
finance depends mainly on comprehensive reform of the social welfare
system and privatization of Poland's remaining state sector.
Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal,
steel) has been delayed. Long-awaited privatizations in aviation,
energy, and telecommunications are scheduled for 1998.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$280.7 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 6.9% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$7,250 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.6%
industry: 34.9%
services: 58.5% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 15% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
total: 17.7 million (1997 est.)
by occupation: industry and construction 29.9%, agriculture 26%,
services 44.1% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 12% (1997)

Budget:
revenues: $33.8 billion
expenditures: $35.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 11.2% (1997 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 33.5 million kW (1997 est.)

Electricity-production: 142 billion kWh (1997 est.)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 3,360 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: potatoes, milk, cheese, fruits, vegetables,
wheat; poultry and eggs; pork, beef

Exports:
total value: $26.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities: intermediate goods 38%, machinery and transport equipment
23%, consumer goods 21%, foodstuffs 10%, fuels 7% (1996 est.)
partners: Germany 34.5%, Russia 6.8%, France 5.9%, Italy 5.6%, US
4.8%, Netherlands 4.1% (1996)

Imports:
total value: $44.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment 32%, intermediate goods
20%, chemicals 15%, consumer goods 9%, food 9%, fuels 8% (1996 est.)
partners: Germany 26.5%, Italy 10.4%, Russia 7.3%, UK 6.3%,
Netherlands 4.8%, Fr