Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
26 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
10.1 million (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
state-run public TV operates 2 national channels supplemented by 16 regional and several niche channels; privately owned entities operate several national TV networks and some special interest channels; many privately owned local channels; roughly half of all households are linked to satellite or cable TV systems with access to foreign TV; state-run public radio operates 5 national networks and 17 regional stations; 2 privately owned national radio networks, several commercial stations, and many privately owned local radio stations (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.pl
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
88.58% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
13 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
4.987 million (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
132 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
52.4 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
sugar beets, milk, wheat, maize, potatoes, triticale, apples, rapeseed, barley, rye (2023)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on alcohol and tobacco
6.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on food
18.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$328.497 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$291.603 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$10.268 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$16.117 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$6.363 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$5.058 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$6.268 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$11.690 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$1.645 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
$14.532 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
-$8.970 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
-$15.822 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
$14.535 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
$1.789 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
3.9808 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
zlotych (PLN) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
3.1606 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
3.1545 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
3.7695 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
3.9428 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
3.7793 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
3.6117 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
3.8394 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
3.8997 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
3.8619 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
4.4578 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
4.2037 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
3.9808 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
vehicle parts/accessories, electric batteries, plastic products, cars, seats (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$223.376 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$250.578 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$226.401 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$236.187 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$273.121 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$310.584 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$317.089 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$317.704 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$393.089 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$436.388 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$471.571 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$478.579 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
52.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
20.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
57.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-48.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
16.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
0.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
2.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
26.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
59.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$51,263 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$914.696 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$1.874 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015
31.8 (2015 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016
31.2 (2016 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017
29.7 (2017 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018
30.2 (2018 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019
28.8 (2019 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020
28.5 (2020 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021
28.5 (2021 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
28.9 (2022 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023
28.5 (2023 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%
23.1% (2022 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
3.3% (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, cars, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, plastic products (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$202.402 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$216.475 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$222.240 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$258.226 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$298.556 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$295.123 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$283.721 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$371.024 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$421.765 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$423.797 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$441.945 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
-0.6% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
-0.87% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
-0.66% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
2.08% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
1.81% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
2.23% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
3.37% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
5.06% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
14.43% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
11.53% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
3.79% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
18.245 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
13.30% (2024 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2017
50.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$967.769 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$1.025 trillion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$1.077 trillion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$1.146 trillion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$1.362 trillion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$1.391 trillion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$1.518 trillion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$1.598 trillion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$1.602 trillion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$1.649 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
4.43% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
3.03% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
5.15% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
6.25% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
4.58% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-2.04% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
6.93% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
5.26% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
0.25% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
3.03% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$25,460 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$26,988 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$28,360 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$30,170 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$35,882 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$37,089 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$41,060 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$46,778 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$48,473 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$7.457 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$7.468 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$6.835 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$7.438 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$7.929 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$94.903 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$114.329 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$113.267 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$116.957 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$128.392 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$154.219 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$166.030 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$166.664 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$193.783 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$223.115 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
18% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
3.27% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
3.15% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
3.27% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
2.81% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
2.74% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
2.81% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
9.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
10.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
9.9% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
99.932 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
10.805 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
10.041 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: production
96.72 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: proven reserves
27.758 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
72.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
14.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
159.639 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: exports
11.403 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: imports
15.14 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
64.806 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
8.549 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
103.651 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
20.602 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: exports
747.124 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: imports
15.111 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
5.345 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: proven reserves
91.492 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
113 million barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
743,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
24,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
132.101 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
36.835 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
95.095 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
264.031 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Environment: Environmental issues
air pollution (despite environmental policy improvements) because of coal-burning in homes and power plants; acid rain leading to forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources; disposal of hazardous wastes
Environment: Geoparks: global geoparks and regional networks
Land of Extinct Volcanoes; Muskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa (includes Germany); Holy Cross Mountains (2024)
Environment: Geoparks: total global geoparks and regional networks
3 (2024)
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic- Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
47.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 36.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 9.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
31% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
21% (2023 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: agriculture
595.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: energy
954.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: other
36.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: waste
292 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
18.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
60.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
1.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
6.44 billion cubic meters (2022)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
2.113 billion cubic meters (2022)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
-0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
59.97% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
12.758 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
38.3% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico
Geography: Area: land
304,255 sq km
Geography: Area: water
8,430 sq km
Geography: Coastline
440 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Rysy 2,499 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
173 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
52 00 N, 20 00 E
Geography: Geography - note
historically an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
Geography: Irrigated land
1,327 sq km (2016)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
Belarus 375 km; Czechia 699 km; Germany 467 km; Lithuania 100 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 209 km; Slovakia 517 km; Ukraine 498 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
2,865 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
47.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 36.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 9.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
31% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
21% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major lakes (area sq km): salt water lake(s)
Zalew Szczecinski/Stettiner Haff (shared with Germany) - 900 sq km
Geography: Major rivers (by length in km)
Wisla (Vistula) river source and mouth (shared with Belarus and Ukraine) - 1,213 km note: longest river in Poland
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage
(Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Geography: Map references
Europe
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
defined by international treaties
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
flooding
Geography: 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
Geography: Terrain
mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Government: Administrative divisions
16 provinces or voivodships ( 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)
Government: Capital: daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Government: Capital: etymology
the origin of the name is unknown; Warszawa was the name of a fishing village, and several legends link the city's founding to a man named Wars or Warsz
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
52 15 N, 21 00 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
both parents must be citizens of Poland
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Government: Constitution: amendment process
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
Government: Constitution: history
several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Poland
Government: Country name: etymology
the name probably comes from the Slavic word pole ( field or plain), indicating the flat nature of the country
Government: Country name: former
Polish People's Republic
Government: Country name: local long form
Rzeczpospolita Polska
Government: Country name: local short form
Polska
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Thomas ROSE (since 6 November 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: consulate(s) general
Krakow
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
acswarsaw@state.gov https://pl.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, 00-540 Warsaw
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[48] (22) 504-2088
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[48] (22) 504-2000
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Bogdan Adam KLICH (since 21 November 2024)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
washington.amb.sekretariat@msz.gov.pl https://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/embassy-washington
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 328-2152
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 499-1700
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by the Sejm
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
President Karol NAWROCKI (since 6 August 2025)
Government: Executive branch: election results
2025: Karol NAWROCKI elected president in second round; percent of vote - Karol NAWROCKI (PiS) 50.9%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49.1%; NAWROCKI takes office 6 August 2025 2025: First round Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 31.4%, Karol NAWROCKI 29.5% (PiS), Slawomir MENTZEN 14.8%, Grzegorz BRAUN 6.3%, and Szymon HOLOWNIA 5.0%; second round to be held on 1 June 2025; 2020: Andrzej DUDA reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49% 2015: Andrzej DUDA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51.5%, Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI (independent) 48.5%
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister, deputy prime ministers, and Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm; all presidential candidates resign their party affiliation
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
July 2030
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 11 December 2023)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
18 May 2025, with the second round on 1 June 2025
Government: Flag
description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red meaning: colors derive from the Polish emblem, a white eagle on a red field
Government: International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Government: 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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
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)
Government: Judicial branch: 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 single 9-year terms
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
administrative courts; military courts; local, regional and appellate courts subdivided into military, civil, criminal, labor, and family courts
Government: Legal system
civil law system; judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name
Sejm
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: electoral system
proportional representation
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: expected date of next election
October 2027
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: most recent election date
10/15/2023
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: number of seats
460 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: parties elected and seats per party
Law and Justice (PiS) (194); Civic Coalition (KO) (157); The Third Way (65); The New Left (Nowa Lewica) (26); Other (18)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: percentage of women in chamber
31.3%
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: term in office
4 years
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name
Senate (Senat)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: electoral system
plurality/majority
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: expected date of next election
October 2027
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: most recent election date
10/15/2023
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: number of seats
100 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: parties elected and seats per party
Civic Coalition (KO) (41); Law and Justice (PiS) (34); The Third Way (11); The New Left (Nowa Lewica) (9); Independents (5)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: percentage of women in chamber
19%
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: term in office
4 years
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
bicameral
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 1927;
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Jozef WYBICKI/traditional
Government: National coat of arms
Poland’s coat of arms was designed in 1927 by noted Polish graphic artist and educator Zygmunt Kaminski. The white crowned eagle is the national symbol, and white and red are the national colors, with white representing purity and truth and red symbolizing courage and the blood shed for freedom.
Government: National color(s)
white, red
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Historic Krakow (c); Historic Warsaw (c); Medieval Torun (c); Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region (c); Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork (c); Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines (c); Auschwitz Birkenau Concentration Camp (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n); Białowieza Forest (n); Old City of Zamość (c)
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
17 (15 cultural, 2 natural)
Government: National holiday
Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Government: National symbol(s)
white crowned eagle
Government: Political parties
Civic Coalition Confederation Free Republicans Polish Coalition or PSL The Left United Right or PiS
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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 disorder 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.
Military and Security: Military - note
the Polish Armed Forces are responsible for defense of the country's sovereignty and territory, deterring potential threats, and fulfilling Poland's commitments to NATO, EU, and European security; Poland’s geographic location on NATO’s eastern flank and its history of foreign invasion underpin the Polish military’s focus on territorial and border defense; in peacetime, the Armed Forces provide support to the Border Guard; other security concerns include hybrid threats from Russia and Belarus, such as cyberattacks, sabotage, and weaponized migration; since the 2010s, Poland has taken steps to enhance the security of its borders with Russia and Belarus since 2014, Poland has hosted several NATO military formations designed to enhance the defense of Poland and NATO’s eastern flank, including a US-led multinational NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative, NATO fighter detachments at Malbork Air Base, a NATO-led divisional headquarters (Multinational Division Northeast), which coordinates training and preparation activities of its respective subordinate battlegroups in Poland and Lithuania, and a corps-level NATO field headquarters (Multinational Corps Northeast); Poland also has increased the the US military presence in the country; Poland participates in a variety of EU and NATO military deployments in Africa, the Baltic States, Southern Europe, and the Middle East; Poland also provided support to the NATO mission in Afghanistan (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
Polish Armed Forces (Polskie Siły Zbrojne): Land Forces (Wojska Ladowe), Navy (Marynarka Wojenna), Air Force (Sily Powietrzne), Special Forces (Wojska Specjalne), Territorial Defense Forces (Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej), Cyberspace Defense Forces (Wojska Obrony Cyberprzestrzeni) Ministry of Interior and Administration: Polish National Police (Policja); Border Guard (Straż Graniczna or SG) (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 235,000 active military personnel (2025)
Military and Security: Military deployments
250 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 300 Latvia (NATO); 190 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory consists of a mix of some Soviet-era and a growing amount of more modern, NATO-compatible weapons systems; in recent years, significant suppliers of armaments have included Finland, South Korea, and the US; Poland has a domestic defense sector that produces or provides upgrades to various weapons systems, particularly ground systems such as tanks and other armored vehicles; it also cooperates with the European and US defense sectors (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
2.13% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
1.94% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
1.89% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
2.02% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
1.95% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
2.26% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
2.22% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
2.20% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
3.27% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
4.15% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2025
4.5% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription; 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 (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
14.2% (male 2,830,048/female 2,676,300)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
65.9% (male 12,513,402/female 13,036,977)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
19.8% (2024 est.) (male 3,097,965/female 4,591,618)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
5.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
4.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
10.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
8.03 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
0.7% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
8.06% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
58.6% (2021 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
11.56 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
30.1 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
3.3 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
51.6 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
21.6 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 82.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 90.4% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 17.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 9.6% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
4.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
10% national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
4.31% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Polish 96.9%, Silesian 1.1%, German 0.2%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.65 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
6.7% of GDP (2022)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
10.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
6.0 beds/1,000 population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
4.4 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
5.3 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.2% (2011 est.)
People and Society: Languages: major-language sample(s)
Księga Faktów Świata, niezbędne źródło podstawowych informacji. (Polish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
82.2 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
74.8 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
1.798 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
44.3 years
People and Society: Median age: male
41.5 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
27.9 years (2020 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Polish
People and Society: Net migration rate
-6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
23.1% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
4.03 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
People and Society: Population
36,559,233 (2024 est.)
People and Society: 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
People and Society: Population growth rate
-0.98% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
20,304,895
People and Society: Population: male
18,441,415
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
18 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
16 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
17 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.06 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
0.96 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.67 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.91 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
17.8% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
25.6% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
21.6% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
1.14 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
-0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
59.97% (2024 est.)
Space: Key space-program milestones
1978 - first Polish astronaut in space on Soviet spacecraft 1991 - began cooperating with the ESA 1994 - began participating in Russia's Koronas solar research missions 2012 - joined ESA; first domestically built scientific nanosatellite (PW-Sat) launched on European rocket 2021 - joined US-led Artemis Accords for lunar and space exploration 2024 - successfully launched domestically developed experimental suborbital rocket (ILR-33 Amber 2K) to altitude of 101 kms 2025 - first Polish astronaut and scientific mission on International Space Station
Space: Space agency/agencies
Polish Space Agency (POLSA; established 2014; operational in 2015) (2025)
Space: Space program overview
builds satellites, including nano/cube remote sensing (RS) and scientific/technology satellites; researches and develops communications, RS, navigational, and other scientific applications for satellite payloads; creating infrastructure for data from meteorological and environmental satellites; researches and develops other space-related technologies, including sensors and robotic probes for interplanetary landers, and launcher systems; space program is integrated with the ESA and the EU; participates in a variety of ESA/EU and international programs; cooperates with a variety of other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, Canada, China, ESA/EU member states (particularly France, Germany, Italy), India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, UK, and the US; has a commercial space sector with more than 300 active enterprises (2025)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
Transnational Issues: Illicit drugs: USG identification
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
1,019,863 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons
1,486 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
318 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
SP
Transportation: Heliports
16 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
general cargo 6, oil tanker 6, other 140
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
152 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Gdansk, Gdynia, Port Polnochny, Szczecin
Transportation: Ports: large
2
Transportation: Ports: medium
2
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
5
Transportation: Ports: small
4
Transportation: Ports: total ports
10 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
2
Transportation: Railways: total
19,461 km (2020) 11,946 km electrified
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.