Poland
Poland: Travel tips, articles, photos, gallery, cities database, population, pics, flags, statistics, free maps online
Back to Countries, Click to read the whole article: Poland
Introduction - Poland: | Location - Poland: | Location | Central Europe, east of Germany | | Geographic coordinates | 52 00 N, 20 00 E | | Map references | Europe | | Area | total: 312,685 sq km
land: 304,465 sq km
water: 8,220 sq km | | Area comparative | slightly smaller than New Mexico | | Land boundaries | total: 3,056 km
border countries: Belarus 416 km, Czech Republic 790 km, Germany 467 km, Lithuania 103 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia 541 km, Ukraine 529 km | | Coastline | 491 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 extremes | 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 | arable land: 40.25%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 58.75% (2005) | | Irrigated land | 1,000 sq km (2003) | | Natural hazards | flooding | | Environment current 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 resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial establishments bring their facilities up to EU code, but at substantial cost to business and the government | | 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, Kyoto Protocol, 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 - Poland: | Government - Poland: | Economy - Poland: | Communications - Poland: | Transportation - Poland: | Military - Poland: |
This page was last updated on 16 September, 2007 Source: CIA >>> |