Poland

POLAND

Information about travelling to Poland

Poland is located in Central Europe, east of Germany

Facts about Poland
Population38,500,696 (July 2008 est
CapitalWarsaw
Time zoneUTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begin
Location Central Europe, east of Germany

General info about Poland
Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland amongst 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, but its government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland still faces the lingering challenges of high unemployment, underdeveloped and dilapidated infrastructure, and a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.
Disease threats
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea vectorborne
Languages spoken
Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
What about 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
Ethnic division
Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate
0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
Climate
temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Resources
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Economy
Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization since 1990 and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. In 2008, GDP grew an estimated 5.3%, based on rising private consumption, a jump in corporate investment, and EU funds inflows. GDP per capita is still much below the EU average, but is similar to that of the three Baltic states. Since 2004, EU membership and access to EU structural funds have provided a major boost to the economy. Unemployment is falling rapidly, though at roughly 9.7% in 2008, it remains well above the EU average. In 2008 inflation reached 4.3%, more than the upper limit of the National Bank of Poland's target range, but has been falling due to global economic slowdown. Poland's economic performance could improve further if the country addresses some of the remaining deficiencies in its business environment. An inefficient commercial court system, a rigid labor code, bureaucratic red tape, and persistent low-level corruption keep the private sector from performing up to its full potential. Rising demands to fund health care, education, and the state pension system present a challenge to the Polish Government's effort to hold the consolidated public sector budget deficit under 3.0% of GDP, a target which was achieved in 2007-08. The PO/PSL coalition government which came to power in November 2007 plans to further reduce the budget deficit with the aim of eventually adopting the euro by 2012. The new government has also announced its intention to enact business-friendly reforms, reduce public sector spending growth, lower taxes, and accelerate privatization. The government, however, has moved slowly on major reforms. Pension and health-care bills passed through the legislature, but the legislature failed to overturn a presidential veto.
Environment
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

Cities in Poland

aleksandrow kujawski     andrychow     augustow     barlinek     bartoszyce     bedzin     bielawa     bielsk podlaski     bierun     biskupiec     bochnia     bogatynia     boguszow-gorce     braniewo     brodnica     brwinow     brzeg     brzeg dolny     brzesko     brzeszcze     brzeziny     bukowno     busko-zdroj     bydgoszcz     bytom     bytow     chodziez     chojnice     chojnow     chorzow     choszczno     chrzanow     ciechanow     ciechocinek     cieszyn     cracow     czarnkow     czechowice-dziedzice     czeladz     czersk     czestochowa     dabrowa gornicza     dabrowa tarnowska     debica     deblin     debno     dobre miasto     drawsko pomorskie     drezdenko     dzierzoniow     elblag     garwolin     gdansk     gdynia     gizycko     gliwice     gniezno     goleniow     golub-dobrzyn     gora     gora kalwaria     gorlice     gorzow wielkopolski     gostyn     grajewo     grodkow     grodzisk mazowiecki     grodzisk wielkopolski     grojec     grudziadz     gryfice     gryfino     gubin     hajnowka     hrubieszow     janikowo     janow lubelski     jarocin     jawor     jaworzno     jedrzejow     jelenia gora     jozefow     kalety     kalisz     kamien pomorski     kamienna gora     karczew     kartuzy     katowice     kedzierzyn-kozle     kepno     ketrzyn     kety     kholm     kielce     kluczbork     knurow     kolno     koluszki     konin     konskie     konstancin-jeziorna     koronowo     koscian     koscierzyna     kostrzyn     koszalin     kowary     kozienice     kozuchow     krapkowice     krasnik     krasnystaw     krosno     krosno odrzanskie     krotoszyn     kruszwica     krzeszowice     kudowa-zdroj     kutno     kwidzyn     lebork     ledziny     legionowo     legnica     leszno     lezajsk     libiaz     lidzbark warminski     limanowa     lipno     lubaczow     luban     lubartow     lubawa     lubin     lublin     lubliniec     lubon     lubsko     lwowek slaski     makow mazowiecki     malbork     marki     miastko     miechow     miedzychod     miedzyrzec podlaski     miedzyrzecz     mielec     milanowek     milicz     minsk mazowiecki     mogilno     monki     morag     mosina     mragowo     murowana goslina     myslenice     mysliborz     myszkow     nidzica     nisko     nowa deba     nowa ruda     nowa sol     nowe miasto lubawskie     nowogard     nowy dwor gdanski     nowy dwor mazowiecki     nowy sacz     nowy targ     nowy tomysl     nysa     oborniki     olecko     olesnica     olesno     olkusz     olsztyn     opalenica     opoczno     opole     opole lubelskie     orneta     orzesze     ostroda     ostrow mazowiecka     ostrow wielkopolski     ostrowiec swietokrzyski     ostrzeszow     oswiecim     otwock     ozimek     ozorkow     pabianice     parczew     piaseczno     piastow     piekary slaskie     pieszyce     pinczow     pionki     piotrkow trybunalski     pisz     pleszew     polaniec     police     polkowice     poniatowa     poreba     poznan     prudnik     pruszkow     przasnysz     przeworsk     pszczyna     pszow     puck     pyrzyce     pyskowice     raciborz     radlin     radom     radomsko     radzionkow     radzyn podlaski     rawa mazowiecka     rawicz     reda     rogozno     ruda slaska     rumia     rybnik     ryki     rypin     rzeszow     sandomierz     sanok     sepolno krajenskie     siedlce     siemianowice slaskie     siemiatycze     sieradz     sierpc     skarzysko-kamienna     skawina     skierniewice     skoczow     skwierzyna     sochaczew     solec kujawski     sopot     sosnowiec     srem     sroda wielkopolska     stalowa wola     starachowice     stargard szczecinski     starogard gdanski     stary sacz     staszow     strzegom     strzelce krajenskie     strzelce opolskie     strzelin     sucha beskidzka     suchedniow     sulechow     sulecin     sulejowek     swarzedz     swidnica     swidnik     swidwin     swiebodzice     swiecie     swinoujscie     sycow     szczecin     szczecinek     szczytno     szprotawa     szubin     tarnobrzeg     tarnow     tarnowskie gory     tczew     tomaszow lubelski     tomaszow mazowiecki     torun     trzcianka     trzebiatow     trzebinia     trzebnica     tuchola     turek     tychy     ustka     ustron     ustrzyki dolne     wabrzezno     wadowice     wagrowiec     warka     warsaw     wegorzewo     wegrow     wejherowo     wieliczka     wielun     wojkowice     wolbrom     wolsztyn     wronki     wrzesnia     wschowa     wysokie mazowieckie     wyszkow     zabki     zabkowice slaskie     zabrze     zagan     zakopane     zambrow     zamosc     zary     zawadzkie     zawiercie     zdunska wola     zdzieszowice     zgierz     zgorzelec     ziebice     zielona gora     zielonka     znin     zory     zychlin     zyrardow    


Airports in Poland
BydgoszczBZG
CzestochowaCZW
RebiechowoGDN
BabimostIEG
J. Paul II Balice InternationalKRK
PyrzowiceKTW
Lodz LublinekLCJ
RedzikowoOSP
KoszalinOSZ
LawicaPOZ
JasionkaRZE
MazurySZY
GoleniowSZZ
OkecieWAW
StrachowiceWRO


Beer in Poland (0.33l)
Bestwina~ 0.7 EUR
Bialystok~ 0.4 EUR
Bialystok~ 0.4 EUR
Bielawa~ 0.7 EUR
Bilgoraj~ 0.5 EUR
Buczkowice~ 0.8 EUR
Busko-Zdrój~ 0.6 EUR
Bydgoszcz~ 0.9 EUR
Bytom~ 0.8 EUR
Czarnków~ 0.4 EUR
Czersk~ 0.6 EUR
Dabrowa Gornicza~ 1 EUR
Dobra~ 0.9 EUR
Dopiewo~ 0.6 EUR
Gdansk~ 1.1 EUR
Gdansk~ 1.1 EUR
Gdynia~ 0.7 EUR
Gliwice~ 0.6 EUR
Gliwice~ 0.6 EUR
Gliwice~ 0.6 EUR
Gniezno~ 0.7 EUR
Goleniów~ 0.9 EUR
Jastarnia~ 0.4 EUR
Kalisz~ 0.5 EUR
Katowice~ 0.8 EUR
Kielce~ 0.7 EUR
Koszalin~ 0.8 EUR
Koszalin~ 0.8 EUR
Kozienice~ 0.7 EUR
Krakov~ 0.6 EUR
Kraków~ 0.9 EUR
Krakow~ 0.9 EUR
Krakow~ 0.9 EUR
Krosno~ 0.9 EUR
Kutno~ 0.7 EUR
Leszno~ 0.5 EUR
Lodz~ 1 EUR
LOMZA~ 0.5 EUR
Lomza~ 0.5 EUR
Lublin~ 0.6 EUR
Lubsko~ 0.4 EUR
Malbork~ 0.6 EUR
Mielec~ 0.9 EUR
Monki~ 0.3 EUR
Mragowo~ 0.6 EUR
Nasielsk~ 0.3 EUR
Nowogrod Bobrzanski~ 0.6 EUR
Olkusz~ 0.5 EUR
Olsztyn~ 0.8 EUR
Opole~ 0.8 EUR
Ostróda~ 0.9 EUR
Ozimek~ 0.5 EUR
Ozorków~ 0.8 EUR
Pabianice~ 0.6 EUR
Pila~ 0.5 EUR
Piotrków Trybunalski~ 0.4 EUR
Piwniczna~ 0.8 EUR
Poznan~ 0.6 EUR
Pszczyna~ 0.6 EUR
Racibórz~ 0.7 EUR
Radom~ 1 EUR
Radomsko~ 0.5 EUR
Rewa~ 0.7 EUR
Rokietnica~ 0.6 EUR
Ropczyce~ 0.5 EUR
Rosnowo~ 0.4 EUR
Rumia~ 0.6 EUR
Rybnik~ 0.4 EUR
Rzeszów~ 0.8 EUR
Sandomierz~ 0.9 EUR
Sanok~ 0.7 EUR
Siedlce~ 0.6 EUR
Siewierz~ 0.6 EUR
Sobolow~ 0.9 EUR
Sopot~ 1.4 EUR
Sosnowiec~ 1.2 EUR
Stalowa Wola~ 1 EUR
Starachowice~ 0.5 EUR
Starogard Gdanski~ 1 EUR
Straszyn~ 0.5 EUR
Susz~ 0.4 EUR
Swiebodzin~ 0.8 EUR
Szczecin~ 1.1 EUR
Szczecin~ 1.1 EUR
Tarnobrzeg~ 0.5 EUR
Tarnów~ 0.5 EUR
Tarnów~ 0.5 EUR
Tczew~ 0.5 EUR
Trzemeszno~ 0.5 EUR
Tuchola~ 0.5 EUR
Tuchów~ 1.2 EUR
Tychy~ 0.8 EUR
Tyczyn~ 0.5 EUR
Warka~ 0.4 EUR
Warsaw~ 1.2 EUR
Warsaw~ 1.2 EUR
Warszawa~ 1.8 EUR
Wejherowo~ 0.7 EUR
Wolsztyn~ 0.6 EUR
Wroclaw~ 0.9 EUR
Wroclaw~ 0.9 EUR
Zabrze~ 0.7 EUR
Zary~ 0.8 EUR
Zlotoryja~ 0.8 EUR

Explore countries around the world