CONSULTON
Krzywickiego 34
02-078 Warsaw, Poland
Phone: +48-22-622-66-55
Fax: +48-22-622-38-72
Krzywickiego 34
02-078 Warsaw, Poland
Phone: +48-22-622-66-55
Fax: +48-22-622-38-72
| Introduction | Poland |
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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 currently suffers low GDP growth and high unemployment. 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. |
| Geography | Poland |
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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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Area:
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total: 312,685 sq km water: 8,220 sq km land: 304,465 sq km |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,788 km border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 526 km |
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Coastline:
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491 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties territorial sea: 12 NM |
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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: 45.91% permanent crops: 1.12% other: 52.97% (2001) |
| People | Poland |
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Population:
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38,635,144 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 16.7% (male 3,319,176/female 3,150,859) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 13,506,153/female 13,638,265) 65 years and over: 13% (male 1,912,431/female 3,108,260) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 36.43 years male: 34.52 years female: 38.49 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.03% (2005 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 74.74 years male: 70.71 years female: 79.03 years (2005 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.) |
| Government | Poland |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Poland conventional short form: Poland local short form: Polska local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Warsaw |
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Administrative divisions:
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16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie |
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Independence:
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11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed) |
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National holiday:
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Constitution Day, 3 May (1791) |
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Constitution:
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16 October 1997; adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 23 May 1997 |
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Legal system:
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mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Lech KACZY
     CONSULTON
Krzywickiego 34 02-078 Warsaw, Poland Phone: +48-22-622-66-55
Fax: +48-22-622-38-72  |