Poland

Parliamentary RepublicPop37.6MGDP (PPP)$1.6TCI65Beta CP−1.2↓Beta

Some figures reconciled across multiple sources via Civica's methodology (v0.2 BETA). Methodology →

Poland

⌘K

Overview

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.

Geography

Area

Land: 304,255 sq km
Water: 8,430 sq km
Total: 312,685 sq km

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

Land Use

Other: 21% (2023 est.)
Forest: 31% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 47.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 36.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 9.8% (2023 est.)

Location: Central Europe, east of Germany
Coastline: 440 km

Elevation

Lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
Highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Mean elevation: 173 m

Irrigated land: 1,327 sq km (2016)
Map references: Europe

Land Boundaries

Total: 2,865 km
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

Maritime Claims

Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Natural hazards: flooding
Geography note: historically an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Area comparative: about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E
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

Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)

Salt water lake(s): Zalew Szczecinski/Stettiner Haff (shared with Germany) - 900 sq km

Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)

Atlantic ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

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

People & Society

Languages

Note: note 1: shares of languages sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; data represent language spoken at home

note 2: Poland also recognizes Kashub as a regional language; Czech, Hebrew, Yiddish, Belarusian, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovak, and Ukrainian as national minority languages; and Karaim, Lemko, Romani (Polska Roma and Bergitka Roma), and Tatar as ethnic minority languages
Languages: Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.2% (2011 est.)
Major language sample(s): Księga Faktów Świata, niezbędne źródło podstawowych informacji. (Polish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Roman Catholic 70.7%, refused to answer 20.9%, no religion 6.9%; less than 1 percent: Orthodox, Jehovah Witness, Evangelic of Augsburg, Greek Catholic, Pentecostal, other Protestant, not stated, old Catholic Mariavite Church, other Christians, Islam, Buddhist, Polish Catholic Church, other, Baptist Union of Poland, Pagan, Seventh Day Adventist, Hindu, other Catholic (2021 est.)

Sex Ratio

At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0 14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15 64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 8.03 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 11.56 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 41.5 years
Total: 43.4 years (2025 est.)
Female: 44.3 years

Population

Male: 18,441,415
Total: 38,746,310 (2024 est.)
Female: 20,304,895

Nationality

Noun: Pole(s)
Adjective: Polish

Tobacco Use

Male: 25.6% (2025 est.)
Total: 21.6% (2025 est.)
Female: 17.8% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: -0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Age Structure

0 14 years: 14.2% (male 2,830,048/female 2,676,300)
15 64 years: 65.9% (male 12,513,402/female 13,036,977)
65 years and over: 19.8% (2024 est.) (male 3,097,965/female 4,591,618)

Ethnic groups: Polish 96.9%, Silesian 1.1%, German 0.2%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 51.6 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 21.6 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3.3 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 30.1 (2024 est.)

Physician density: 4.03 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Health Expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 6.7% of GDP (2022)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 10.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density: 6.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural: rural: 82.2% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 90.4% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 17.8% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 9.6% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)

Education Expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 10% national budget (2022 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: -0.98% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.65 (2025 est.)
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

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 72.8 years
Female: 80.9 years
Total population: 76.7 years (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: rural: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer: 5.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 10.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 4.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Major urban areas population: 1.798 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow (2023)
Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23.1% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 27.9 years (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15 49): 58.6% (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 0.7% (2019 est.)

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

Male: 16 years (2023 est.)
Total: 17 years (2023 est.)
Female: 18 years (2023 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

ExecutiveLegislative

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

Capital

Name: Warsaw
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
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Citizenship BY birth: no
Citizenship BY descent only: both parents must be citizens of Poland
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

History: several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997
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

Country Name

Former: Polish People's Republic
Etymology: the name probably comes from the Slavic word pole (field or plain), indicating the flat nature of the country
Local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
Local short form: Polska
Conventional long form: Republic of Poland
Conventional short form: Poland

Independence: 11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 14 April 966 (adoption of Christianity, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)
Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final
Government type: parliamentary republic

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)
Subordinate courts: administrative courts; military courts; local, regional and appellate courts subdivided into military, civil, criminal, labor, and family courts
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

Executive Branch

Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by the Sejm
Chief of state: President Karol NAWROCKI (since 6 August 2025)
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%
Head of government: Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 11 December 2023)
Most recent election date: 18 May 2025, with the second round on 1 June 2025
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
Expected date of next election: July 2030

National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
National color(s): white, red

National Heritage

Total world heritage sites: 17 (15 cultural, 2 natural)
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)

Political parties: Civic Coalition
Confederation
Free Republicans
Polish Coalition or PSL
The Left
United Right or PiS

Legislative Branch

Note: note: the designation "National Assembly" (or Zgromadzenie Narodowe) is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
Legislative structure: bicameral

National Anthem(s)

Title: "Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka)
History: adopted 1927; 
Lyrics/music: Jozef WYBICKI/traditional

National symbol(s): white crowned eagle
National coat of arms: <p style="margin: 0in;">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.
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)

Legislative Branch Lower Chamber

Chamber name: Sejm
Term in office: 4 years
Number of seats: 460 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Most recent election date: 10/15/2023
Expected date of next election: October 2027
Percentage of women in chamber: 31.3%
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)

Legislative Branch Upper Chamber

Chamber name: Senate (Senat)
Term in office: 4 years
Number of seats: 100 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Most recent election date: 10/15/2023
Expected date of next election: October 2027
Percentage of women in chamber: 19%
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)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax: [1] (202) 328-2152
Chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Telephone: [1] (202) 499-1700
Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Bogdan Adam KLICH (since 21 November 2024)
Consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Email address and website: washington.amb.sekretariat@msz.gov.pl

https://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/embassy-washington

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Fax: [48] (22) 504-2088
Embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, 00-540 Warsaw
Telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
Mailing address: 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010
Chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas ROSE (since 6 November 2025)
Consulate(s) general: Krakow
Email address and website: acswarsaw@state.gov

https://pl.usembassy.gov/

International organisations: 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
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Legislature

POLAND · LOWER HOUSE

Sejm

460 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

460

Majority line

231

Largest party

Civic Platform

Parties

All political parties64 parties · 460 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Upper house

POLAND · UPPER HOUSE

Senat

100 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

100

Majority line

Largest party

Civic Platform

Parties

All political parties30 parties · 100 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Next election

Last: 2025

Leaders

Current

KN
Karol Nawrocki
- Head of StateSince 2025
DT
Donald Tusk
- Head of GovernmentSince 2023

Economy

Budget

Note: note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $291.603 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $328.497 billion (2023 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $478.9B

Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2022: $436.388 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $471.571 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024: $478.579 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $442.2B

Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2022: $421.765 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $423.797 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024: $441.945 billion (2024 est.)

Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Labor force: 18.245 million (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled): 59.7%

Note: note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, the data include subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Public debt 2017: 50.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Remittances

Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2022: 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024: 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)

Exchange Rates

Currency: zlotych (PLN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020: 3.9 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 3.862 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 4.458 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 4.204 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024: 3.981 (2024 est.)

Economic overview: high-income, diversified, EU-member economy; significant growth in GDP, trade, and investment since joining EU in 2004; private consumption and EU-funded public investments driving GDP growth; increased social spending, flooding recovery costs, and defense spending have added to public debt

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 3.0%

Note: note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022: 2.9% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 2.8% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024: 2.5% (2024 est.)

Exports partners: Germany 25%, UK 6%, Czechia 6%, France 6%, Italy 5% (2023)
Imports partners: Germany 22%, China 12%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 4%, USA 4% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled): $51,263

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022: $43,400 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $43,700 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024: $45,100 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 3.6%

Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024: 2.9% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products: sugar beets, milk, wheat, maize, potatoes, triticale, apples, rapeseed, barley, rye (2023)
Exports commodities: vehicle parts/accessories, electric batteries, plastic products, cars, seats (2023)
Imports commodities: crude petroleum, cars, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, plastic products (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled): $2.8B

Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2022: -$15.822 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $14.535 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024: $1.789 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 18% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $914.696 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption: 57.6% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 20.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 52.3% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -48.3% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line: 12.2% (2023 est.)

Average Household Expenditures

On food: 18.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 6.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled): 3.3%

Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 14.4% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 11.5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 3.8% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate: -0.6% (2023 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled): $1.649 trillion (2024 est.)

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.598 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $1.602 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $1.649 trillion (2024 est.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male: 10.1% (2024 est.)
Note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 9.9% (2024 est.)
Female: 9.6% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $166.664 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $193.783 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $223.115 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry: 26.4% (2024 est.)
Services: 59.9% (2024 est.)
Agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.)

Note: note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Lowest 10%: 3.3% (2022 est.)
Highest 10%: 23.1% (2022 est.)

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Note: note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2022: 28.9 (2022 est.)

Energy

Coal

Exports: 10.805 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 10.041 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Production: 96.72 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 99.932 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 27.758 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

Total petroleum production: 24,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 113 million barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 743,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Electricity

Exports: 11.403 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 15.14 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Consumption: 159.639 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 64.806 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 8.549 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Natural Gas

Exports: 747.124 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 15.111 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Production: 5.345 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 20.602 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 91.492 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 103.651 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Wind: 14.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Solar: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels: 72.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Biomass and waste: 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 86% (2023 est.)

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)
Internet country code: .pl

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions: 4.987 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2023 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions: 52.4 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132 (2022 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total: 10.1 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.)

Transport

Ports

Large: 2
Small: 4
Medium: 2
Key ports: Gdansk, Gdynia, Port Polnochny, Szczecin
Very small: 2
Total ports: 10 (2024)
Ports with oil terminals: 5

Airports: 318 (2025)

Railways

Total: 19,461 km (2020) 11,946 km electrified

Heliports: 16 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total: 152 (2023)
BY type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 6, other 140

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: SP

Environment

Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers

Geoparks

Global geoparks and regional networks: Land of Extinct Volcanoes; Muskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa (includes Germany); Holy Cross Mountains (2024)
Total global geoparks and regional networks: 3 (2024)

Land Use

Other: 21% (2023 est.)
Forest: 31% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 47.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 36.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 9.8% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: -0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Methane Emissions

Other: 36.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste: 292 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Energy: 954.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Agriculture: 595.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and Recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 12.758 million tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 38.3% (2022 est.)

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

Total Water Withdrawal

Municipal: 2.113 billion cubic meters (2022)
Industrial: 6.44 billion cubic meters (2022)
Agricultural: 1.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions: 264.031 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 36.835 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 132.101 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 95.095 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions: 18.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 60.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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
Signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Military & 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 deployments: 250 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 300 Latvia (NATO); 190 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)

Military Expenditures

Civica canonical (reconciled): 4.5% of GDP (2025 est.)

Military expenditures 2021: 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military expenditures 2022: 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military expenditures 2023: 3.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military expenditures 2024: 3.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military expenditures 2025: 4.5% of GDP (2025 est.)

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 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)
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 service personnel strengths: approximately 235,000 active military personnel (2025)

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Space

Space agency/agencies: Polish Space Agency (POLSA; established 2014; operational in 2015) (2025)
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)
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

Transnational Issues

Illicit Drugs

Usg identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

Refugees: 1,019,863 (2024 est.)
Stateless persons: 1,486 (2024 est.)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of

Civica Index65.0 / 100as of 2024-Q455 / 190−2.02024-Q4

Civica Pulse−1.2as of 2026-05-06—2026-05-06

V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.62as of 2024-Q445 / 170−0.002024-Q4

Freedom House StatusPartly Free (83/100)as of 2024-Q4—−1.52024-Q4

Press Freedom (RSF)Free press (71/100)as of 2024—2024

Human Development Index0.881as of 2022—2022

Corruption Perceptions Index54 / 100as of 202347 / 1802023

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Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Poland — vintage 2026-Q1: Poland factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/poland

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Sources: Eurostat, FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), OECD.Stat, UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata

Poland

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Karol Nawrocki

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