Poland

Republic of Poland

Rzeczpospolita Polska


Return to Info Index
Return to Map

General Information

People
Population: 38,792,442
Population Density: 321 per sq.mi.
Urban: 62%
Ethnic groups:
  • Polish 98%
  • Germans
  • Ukrainians
  • Belarussians
Principle languages: Polish
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Geography
Area: 120,728 sq. mi.
Location: On the Baltic Sea in E Central Europe
Neighbors:
  • Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine on E
  • Germany on W
  • Czech Rep., Slovakia on S
  • Russia on N
Topography: Mostly lowlands forming part of the Northern European Plain. The Carpathian Mts. along the southern border rise to 8,200 ft.
Capital: Warsaw (1993 est.): 1.6 mil.
Government
Type: Democratic state
Head of state: Pres. Lech Walesa; b. Sept. 29, 1943; in office: Dec. 22, 1990
Defense: Active Troop Strength: 283,600 est.
Economy
Industries: Shipbuilding, chemicals, metals, machinery, food processing
Chief crops: Grains, potatoes, sugar beets, tobacco, flax
Minerals: Coal, copper, silver, lead, sulphur, natural gas
Finance
Monetary unit: Zloty (April 1995: 2.40 = $1 US)
Gross domestic product (1993): $180.4 bln.
Per capita GDP: $4,680.
Health
Life expectancy at birth (1995):
  • Male: 69
  • Female: 77
Births (per 1,000 pop.): 13
Deaths (per 1,000 pop.): 9
Natural increase: 0.4%
Hospital beds: 1 per 177 persons
Physicians: 1 per 459 persons
Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births 1995): 12
Education
Literacy (1993): 99%
Major International Organizations
UN (WTO, WHO)
Embassy
2640 16th St. NW 20009; 234-3800

Return to Info Index

Return to Map