Poland :: Europe
Introduction
Background:
Poland's history as a state began near the middle of the 10th century. By the mid-16th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth ruled a vast tract of land in Central and Eastern Europe. During the 18th century, internal disorders weakened the nation, and in a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland among 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. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force with over 10 million members. Free elections in 1989 and 1990 won Solidarity control of the parliament and the presidency, bringing the communist era to a close. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed and with large investments in defense, energy, and other infrastructure, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.
Geography
Location:
Central Europe, east of Germany
Geographic coordinates:
52 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total:
312,685 sq km
land:
304,255 sq km
water:
8,430 sq km
country comparison to the world: 71
Area - comparative:
about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total:
3,071 km
border countries (7):
Belarus 418 km, Czech Republic 796 km, Germany 467 km, Lithuania 104 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia 541 km, Ukraine 535 km
Coastline:
440 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
12
nm
exclusive economic zone:
defined by international treaties
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
Elevation:
mean elevation:
173 m
lowest point:
near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point:
Rysy 2,499 m
Natural resources:
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Land use:
agricultural land:
48.2%
(2011 est.)
arable land:
36.2%
(2011 est.)
/
permanent crops:
1.3%
(2011 est.)
/
permanent pasture:
10.7%
(2011 est.)
forest:
30.6%
(2011 est.)
other:
21.2%
(2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
970 sq km
(2012)
Population distribution:
population concentrated in the southern area around Krakow and the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, with an extension to the northern coastal city of Gdansk
Natural hazards:
flooding
Environment - current issues:
decreased emphasis on heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-communist governments has improved environment; air pollution remains serious because of emissions from burning low-quality coals in homes and from coal-fired power plants; the resulting acid rain causes forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Geography - note:
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
People and Society
Population:
38,282,325
(July 2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Nationality:
noun:
Pole(s)
adjective:
Polish
Ethnic groups:
Polish 96.9%, Silesian 1.1%, German 0.2%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 1.7%
(2011 est.)
note: represents ethnicity declared first
Languages:
Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.3%
(2011 est.)
note: data represents the language spoken at home; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; Poland ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2009 recognizing Kashub as a regional language, Czech, Hebrew, Yiddish, Belarusian, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovak, and Ukrainian as national minority languages, and Karaim, Lemko, Romani (Polska Roma and Bergitka Roma), and Tatar as ethnic minority languages
Religions:
Catholic 85.9% (includes Roman Catholic 85.6% and Greek Catholic, Armenian Catholic, and Byzantine-Slavic Catholic .3%), Orthodox 1.3% (almost all are Polish Autocephalous Orthodox), Protestant 0.4% (mainly Augsburg Evangelical and Pentacostal), other 0.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness, Buddhist, Hare Krishna, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Muslim, Jewish, Mormon), unspecified 12.1%
(2017 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
14.83%
(male 2,918,518/female 2,756,968)
15-24 years:
9.8%
(male 1,928,637/female 1,823,894)
25-54 years:
43.33%
(male 8,384,017/female 8,203,646)
55-64 years:
13.32%
(male 2,424,638/female 2,675,351)
65 years and over:
18.72%
(male 2,867,315/female 4,299,341)
(2020 est.)
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:
51.4
youth dependency ratio:
23
elderly dependency ratio:
28.4
potential support ratio:
3.5
(2020 est.)
Median age:
total:
41.9 years
male:
40.3 years
female:
43.6 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Population growth rate:
-0.19%
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
Birth rate:
8.9 births/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
Death rate:
10.6 deaths/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Net migration rate:
-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Population distribution:
population concentrated in the southern area around Krakow and the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, with an extension to the northern coastal city of Gdansk
Urbanization:
urban population:
60% of total population
(2020)
rate of urbanization:
-0.25% annual rate of change
(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
1.783 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow
(2020)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years:
0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.67 male(s)/female
total population:
0.94 male(s)/female
(2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
27.8 years
(2017 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:
2 deaths/100,000 live births
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Infant mortality rate:
total:
4.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male:
4.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
3.9 deaths/1,000 live births
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
78.3 years
male:
74.5 years
female:
82.3 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Total fertility rate:
1.38 children born/woman
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
62.3%
(2014)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban:
100% of population
rural:
100% of population
total:
100% of population
unimproved:
urban:
0% of population
rural:
0% of population
total:
0% of population
(2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure:
6.5%
(2017)
Physicians density:
2.38 physicians/1,000 population
(2017)
Hospital bed density:
6.6 beds/1,000 population
(2017)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban:
99.7% of population
rural:
100% of population
total:
99.8% of population
unimproved:
urban:
0.3% of population
rural:
0% of population
total:
0.2% of population
(2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk:
intermediate
(2016)
vectorborne diseases:
tickborne encephalitis
(2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
23.1%
(2016)
country comparison to the world: 69
Education expenditures:
4.6% of GDP
(2017)
country comparison to the world: 75
Literacy:
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
99.8%
male:
99.9%
female:
99.7%
(2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:
16 years
male:
15 years
female:
17 years
(2018)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:
11.7%
male:
11.5%
female:
12.1%
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
Government
Country name:
conventional long form:
Republic of Poland
conventional short form:
Poland
local long form:
Rzeczpospolita Polska
local short form:
Polska
former:
Polish People's Republic
etymology:
name derives from the Polanians, a west Slavic tribe that united several surrounding Slavic groups (9th-10th centuries A.D.) and who passed on their name to the country; the name of the tribe likely comes from the Slavic "pole" (field or plain), indicating the flat nature of their country
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name:
Warsaw
geographic coordinates:
52 15 N, 21 00 E
time difference:
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: the origin of the name is unknown; the Polish designation "Warszawa" was the name of a fishing village and several legends/traditions link the city's founding to a man named Wars or Warsz
Administrative divisions:
16 voivodships [provinces] (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie (Lodz), Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie (Opole), Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie (Holy Cross), Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)
Independence:
11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 14 April 966 (adoption of Christianity, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Constitution:
history:
several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997
amendments:
proposed by at least one fifth of Sejm deputies, by the Senate, or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in the Sejm and absolute majority vote in the Senate; amendments to articles relating to sovereignty, personal freedoms, and constitutional amendment procedures also require passage by majority vote in a referendum; amended 2006, 2009
Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final
International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
both parents must be citizens of Poland
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Andrzej DUDA (since 6 August 2015)
head of government:
Prime Minister Mateusz MORAWIECKI (since 11 December 2017); Deputy Prime Ministers Piotr GLINSKI and Jaroslaw GOWIN (since 16 November 2015), Jacek SASIN (since 4 June 2019)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by the Sejm
elections/appointments:
president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 June 2020 with a second round on 12 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister, deputy prime ministers, and Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm
election results:
Andrzej DUDA reelected president in runoff; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49%
Legislative branch:
description:
bicameral legislature consists of: Senate or Senat (100 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) ++ Sejm (460 seats; members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote with 5% threshold of total votes needed for parties and 8% for coalitions to gain seats; minorities exempt from threshold; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023) ++ Sejm - last held on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PiS 48, KO 43, PSL 3, SLD 2, independent 4; composition - men 87, women 13, percent of women 13% ++ Sejm - percent of vote by party - PiS 43.6%, KO 27.4%, SLD 12.6%, PSL 8.5% Confederation 6.8%, other 1.1%; seats by party - PiS 235, KO 134, SLD 49, PSL 30, KWiN 11, MN 1; men 334, women 126, percent of women 27.4%; note - total legislature percent of women 24.8%
note: the designation National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the 2 houses meet jointly
Judicial branch:
highest courts:
Supreme Court or Sad Najwyzszy (consists of the first president of the Supreme Court and 120 justices organized in criminal, civil, labor and social insurance, and extraordinary appeals and public affairs and disciplinary chambers); Constitutional Tribunal (consists of 15 judges, including the court president and vice president)
judge selection and term of office:
president of the Supreme Court nominated by the General Assembly of the Supreme Court and selected by the president of Poland; other judges nominated by the 25-member National Judicial Council and appointed by the president of Poland; judges serve until retirement, usually at age 65, but tenure can be extended; Constitutional Tribunal judges chosen by the Sejm for 9-year terms
subordinate courts:
administrative courts; military courts; local, regional and appellate courts subdivided into military, civil, criminal, labor, and family courts
Political parties and leaders:
Civic Coalition or KO [Grzegorz SCHETYNA] ++ Confederation Liberty and Independence or KWiN [Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE, Robert WINNICKI, Grzegorz BRAUN] ++ Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wlodzimierz CZARZASTY] ++ German Minority or MN [Ryszard GALLA] ++ Kukiz 15 or K15 [Pawel KUKIZ] ++ Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI] ++ TERAZ! (NOW!) [Ryszard PETRU] ++ Nowoczesna (Modern) or N [Katarzyna LUBNAUER] ++ Polish People's Party or PSL [Wladyslaw KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ] ++ Razem (Together) [collective leadership] ++ Wiosna (Spring) [Robert BIEDRON]
International organization participation:
Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Piotr Antoni WILCZEK (since 18 January 2017)
chancery:
2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 499-1700
FAX:
[1] (202) 328-6271
consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Georgette MOSBACHER (since 6 September 2018)
telephone:
[48] (22) 504-2000
embassy:
Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw
mailing address:
American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
FAX:
[48] (22) 504-2226
consulate(s) general:
Krakow
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; colors derive from the Polish emblem - a white eagle on a red field
note: similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
National symbol(s):
white crowned eagle; national colors: white, red
National anthem:
name:
"Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka)
lyrics/music:
Jozef WYBICKI/traditional
note: adopted 1927; the anthem, commonly known as "Jeszcze Polska nie zginela" (Poland Has Not Yet Perished), was written in 1797; the lyrics resonate strongly with Poles because they reflect the numerous occasions in which the nation's lands have been occupied
Economy
Economic overview:
Poland has the sixth-largest economy in the EU and has long had a reputation as a business-friendly country with largely sound macroeconomic policies. Since 1990, Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization. During the 2008-09 economic slowdown Poland was the only EU country to avoid a recession, in part because of the government's loose fiscal policy combined with a commitment to rein in spending in the medium-term Poland is the largest recipient of EU development funds and their cyclical allocation can significantly impact the rate of economic growth.
++ The Polish economy performed well during the 2014-17 period, with the real GDP growth rate generally exceeding 3%, in part because of increases in government social spending that have helped to accelerate consumer-driven growth. However, since 2015, Poland has implemented new business restrictions and taxes on foreign-dominated economic sectors, including banking and insurance, energy, and healthcare, that have dampened investor sentiment and has increased the government's ownership of some firms. The government reduced the retirement age in 2016 and has had mixed success in introducing new taxes and boosting tax compliance to offset the increased costs of social spending programs and relieve upward pressure on the budget deficit. Some credit ratings agencies estimate that Poland during the next few years is at risk of exceeding the EU's 3%-of-GDP limit on budget deficits, possibly impacting its access to future EU funds. Poland's economy is projected to perform well in the next few years in part because of an anticipated cyclical increase in the use of its EU development funds and continued, robust household spending.
++ Poland faces several systemic challenges, which include addressing some of the remaining deficiencies in its road and rail infrastructure, business environment, rigid labor code, commercial court system, government red tape, and burdensome tax system, especially for entrepreneurs. Additional long-term challenges include diversifying Poland's energy mix, strengthening investments in innovation, research, and development, as well as stemming the outflow of educated young Poles to other EU member states, especially in light of a coming demographic contraction due to emigration, persistently low fertility rates, and the aging of the Solidarity-era baby boom generation.
GDP real growth rate:
4.55%
(2019 est.)
5.36%
(2018 est.)
4.83%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1%
(2019 est.)
1.7%
(2018 est.)
2%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Credit ratings:
Fitch rating:
A-
(2007)
Moody's rating:
A2
(2002)
Standard & Poors rating:
A-
(2018)
GDP (purchasing power parity) - real:
$1,189,207,000,000
(2019 est.)
$1,137,551,000,000
(2018 est.)
$1,079,745,000,000
(2017 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$595.72 billion
(2019 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$18,768
(2019 est.)
$17,937
(2018 est.)
$17,011
(2017 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
country comparison to the world: 77
Gross national saving:
20% of GDP
(2017 est.)
19.2% of GDP
(2016 est.)
19.9% of GDP
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:
2.4%
(2017 est.)
industry:
40.2%
(2017 est.)
services:
57.4%
(2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:
58.6%
(2017 est.)
government consumption:
17.7%
(2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital:
17.7%
(2017 est.)
investment in inventories:
2%
(2017 est.)
exports of goods and services:
54%
(2017 est.)
imports of goods and services:
-49.9%
(2017 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores:
82.9
(2020)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy
Industries:
machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Labor force:
9.561 million
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:
11.5%
industry:
30.4%
services:
57.6%
(2015)
Unemployment rate:
5.43%
(2019 est.)
6.08%
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Population below poverty line:
17.6%
(2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
3%
highest 10%:
23.9%
(2015 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
207.5 billion
(2017 est.)
expenditures:
216.2 billion
(2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
39.5% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-1.7% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Public debt:
50.6% of GDP
(2017 est.)
54.2% of GDP
(2016 est.)
note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, the data include subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
country comparison to the world: 100
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Current account balance:
$2.92 billion
(2019 est.)
-$7.52 billion
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Exports:
$394.848 billion
(2019 est.)
$375.525 billion
(2018 est.)
$351.125 billion
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
Exports - partners:
Germany 27.4%, Czech Republic 6.4%, UK 6.4%, France 5.6%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.4%
(2017)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6%
(2012 est.)
Imports:
$364.993 billion
(2019 est.)
$353.423 billion
(2018 est.)
$328.919 billion
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 15%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9%
(2011 est.)
Imports - partners:
Germany 27.9%, China 8%, Russia 6.4%, Netherlands 6%, Italy 5.3%, France 4.2%, Czech Republic 4%
(2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$113.3 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$114.4 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Debt - external:
$241 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$347.8 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Exchange rates:
zlotych (PLN) per US dollar -
3.6684
(2020 est.)
3.8697
(2019 est.)
3.76615
(2018 est.)
3.7721
(2014 est.)
3.1538
(2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access:
electrification - total population:
100%
(2020)
Electricity - production:
156.9 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Electricity - consumption:
149.4 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
Electricity - exports:
12.02 billion kWh
(2016)
country comparison to the world: 17
Electricity - imports:
14.02 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
38.11 million kW
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
79% of total installed capacity
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
2% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
19% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Crude oil - production:
21,000 bbl/day
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
Crude oil - exports:
4,451 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
Crude oil - imports:
493,100 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
Crude oil - proved reserves:
126 million bbl
(1 January 2018)
country comparison to the world: 66
Refined petroleum products - production:
554,200 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
649,600 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
Refined petroleum products - exports:
104,800 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
Refined petroleum products - imports:
222,300 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Natural gas - production:
5.748 billion cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Natural gas - consumption:
20.1 billion cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Natural gas - exports:
1.246 billion cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Natural gas - imports:
15.72 billion cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Natural gas - proved reserves:
79.79 billion cu m
(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
359 million Mt
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions:
6,907,937
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
18.01
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total subscriptions:
52,916,105
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
137.96
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
Telecommunication systems:
general assessment:
fixed-line service is dominated by the former state-owned company, yet it is dwarfed by the growth in mobile-cellular services; regulatory is framed by EU principles of competition; regulator measures have improved wholesale market access; rapid extension of LTE networks and development of mobile data service; mobile penetration is above European average; regulator to auction 700MHz spectrum of 5G services; good market competition
(2020)
domestic:
several nation-wide networks provide mobile-cellular service; coverage is generally good; fixed-line 18 per 100 service lags in rural areas, mobile-cellular 138 per 100 persons
(2019)
international:
country code - 48; landing points for the Baltica and the Denmark-Poland2 submarine cables connecting Poland, Denmark and Sweden; international direct dialing with automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik
(2019)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Broadcast media:
state-run public TV operates 2 national channels supplemented by 16 regional channels and several niche channels; privately owned entities operate several national TV networks and a number of special interest channels; many privately owned channels broadcasting locally; roughly half of all households are linked to either satellite or cable TV systems providing access to foreign television networks; state-run public radio operates 5 national networks and 17 regional radio stations; 2 privately owned national radio networks, several commercial stations broadcasting to multiple cities, and many privately owned local radio stations
(2019)
Internet country code:
.pl
Internet users:
total:
29,791,401
percent of population:
77.54%
(July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
total:
6,114,926
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
16
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Transportation
National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers:
6
(2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:
169
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
9,277,538
(2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
271.49 million
mt-km
(2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
SP
(2016)
Airports:
126
(2013)
country comparison to the world: 46
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
87
(2017)
over 3,047 m:
5
(2017)
2,438 to 3,047 m:
30
(2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m:
36
(2017)
914 to 1,523 m:
10
(2017)
under 914 m:
6
(2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total:
39
(2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1
(2013)
914 to 1,523 m:
17
(2013)
under 914 m:
21
(2013)
Heliports:
6
(2013)
Pipelines:
14198 km gas, 1374 km oil, 2483 km refined products
(2016)
Railways:
total:
19,231 km
(2016)
standard gauge:
18,836 km
1.435-m gauge (11,874 km electrified)
(2016)
broad gauge:
395 km
1.524-m gauge
(2016)
country comparison to the world: 16
Roadways:
total:
420,000 km
(2016)
paved:
291,000 km
(includes 1,492 km of expressways, 1,559 of motorways)
(2016)
unpaved:
129,000 km
(2016)
country comparison to the world: 17
Waterways:
3,997 km
(navigable rivers and canals)
(2009)
country comparison to the world: 27
Merchant marine:
total:
144
by type:
general cargo 12, oil tanker 7, other 125
(2019)
country comparison to the world: 73
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s):
Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie
container port(s) (TEUs):
Gdansk (1,593,761)
(2017)
LNG terminal(s) (import):
Swinoujscie
river port(s):
Szczecin (River Oder)
Military and Security
Military and security forces:
Polish Armed Forces: Land Forces (Wojska Ladowe), Navy (Marynarka Wojenna), Air Force (Sily Powietrzne), Special Forces (Wojska Specjalne), Territorial Defense Force (Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej); Ministry of the Interior: Border Guard (includes coast guard duties)
(2019)
Military expenditures:
2% of GDP
(2019 est.)
2.02% of GDP
(2018)
1.89% of GDP
(2017)
1.99% of GDP
(2016)
2.22% of GDP
(2015)
country comparison to the world: 52
Military and security service personnel strengths:
the Polish Armed Forces have approximately 105,000 total active duty personnel (60,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force; 3,500 Special Forces; 3,000 Territorial Defense Forces; 14,000 other); approximately 20,000 total Territorial Defense Forces including reservists
(2019 est.)
note - in June 2019, the Polish Government approved a plan to increase the size of the military by 50,000 troops over the coming decade
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:
the inventory of the Polish Armed Forces consists of a mix of Soviet-era and more modern Western weapons systems; since 2010, the leading suppliers of armaments to Poland are Finland, Germany, Italy, and the US
(2019 est.)
Military deployments:
360 Afghanistan (NATO); 230 Kosovo (NATO); up to 200 Latvia (NATO); 220 Lebanon (UNIFIL); contributes about 3,500 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Warsaw and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units
(2020)
Military service age and obligation:
18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription phased out in 2009-12; professional soldiers serve on a permanent basis (for an unspecified period of time) or on a contract basis (for a specified period of time); initial contract period is 24 months; women serve in the military on the same terms as men
(2019)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international:
as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin):
9,870 (Russia) (2019)
stateless persons:
1,328 (2019)
Illicit drugs:
despite diligent counternarcotics measures and international information sharing on cross-border crimes, a major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe
