Part 672

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________

POLAND

@Poland:Geography

Location: Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 312,683 sq km land: 304,510 sq km water: 8,173 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,888 km border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 428 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone : defined by international treaties 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

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Raczki Elblaskie -2 m highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt

Land use: arable land: 47% permanent crops : 1% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 29% other: 10% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by postcommunist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

@Poland:People

Population: 38,615,239 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 4,235,659; female 4,038,016) 15-64 years : 67% (male 12,842,909; female 13,020,736) 65 years and over: 12% (male 1,698,505; female 2,779,414) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 10.18 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)