Poland

Poland Background

Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around 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.

Poland Information

• Population: 38,626,349 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish
• Location:: Central Europe, east of Germany
• Religions:: Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%
• Ethnic Groups:: Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other 2.7% (2002)
• Land Boundaries:: 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
• Area: total: 312,685 sq km water: 8,220 sq km land: 304,465 sq km
• Coast Line: 491 km
• 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
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
• Land Use: arable land: 45.91% permanent crops: 1.12% other: 52.97% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resul
• Natural Resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
• Highways: total: 364,656 km paved: 249,060 km (including 358 km of expressways) unpaved: 115,596 km (2000)
• Railways: total: 23,852 km broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (11,962 km electrified) (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw
• Airports: 122 (2003 est.)