Economy overview: Poland is confidently following the path of economic liberalization and has one of the most successful and open economies in transition. GDP growth has remained at a fairly high level since 1992 and is the highest in the region. The privatization of small and medium-sized state-owned companies and the liberal law on the establishment of new firms created the conditions for the rapid development of the private sector. In contrast, Poland’s large agricultural sector suffers from structural problems, labor surpluses, small farm inefficiencies and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of “sensitive sectors” (for example, coal and steel industries, railways and energy) has begun. Structural reforms in health care, education, pensions and public administration to a greater extent than anticipated increased the tax burden. The further development of public finances depends primarily on the privatization of state-owned enterprises. The government’s decision to join the EU affects all aspects of economic policy. The priorities are to reduce the foreign trade deficit and curb inflation. Warsaw is the regional leader in terms of foreign investment and needs to keep this flow going. GDP: at purchasing power parity – $327.5 billion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 4.8% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: Purchasing Power Parity $8,500 (2000 est.) The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 3.8%; industry: 36.6%; service industry: 59.6% (1999). Proportion of population below the poverty line: 18.4% (2000 est.). Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 3%; by the top 10% of families: 26.3% (1996). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 10.2% (2000 est.). Labor force: 17.2 million (1999 est.) Employment structure: industry 22.1%, agriculture 27.5%, services 50.4% (1999). Unemployment rate: 12% (1999). Budget: revenues: $49.6 billion; expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital investments – no data (1999). Spheres of economy: Growth of industrial production: 4.3% (1999). Electricity generation: 134.351 billion kWh (1999) Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 96.43%; hydropower: 3.16%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 0.41% (1999). Electricity consumption: 120.007 billion kWh (1999) Electricity export: 8.43 billion kWh (1999) Electricity import: 3.491 billion kWh (1999) Agricultural products: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork. Export: $28.4 billion (free on board, 2000) Export items: machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, semi-finished industrial products 25.5%, various other manufactured goods 20.9%, food and livestock 8.5% (1999). Export partners: Germany 36.1%, Italy 6.5%, Netherlands 5.3%, France 4.8%, UK 4.0%, Czech Republic 3.8% (1999). Imports: $42.7 billion (free on board, 2000) Import items: machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, semi-finished industrial products 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, various other manufactured goods 9.5% (1999). Import partners: Germany 25.2%, Italy 9.4%, France 6.8%, Russia 5.8%, UK 4.6%, Netherlands 3.7% (1999). External debt: $57 billion (2000) Recipient of economic assistance: no data. Donor of economic aid: Currency: złoty. Currency code: PLN. Exchange rate: PLN/USD – 4.3126 (December 2000), 4.3461 (2000), 3.9671 (1999), 3.9671 (1999), 3.4754 (1998), 3.2793 (1997), 2.6961 (1996). Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 8.07 million (1998). Mobile cell phones: 1.78 million (1998) Telephone system: underdeveloped and outdated; the government’s goal is to bring the number of telephones to 10 million in 2000; the process of partial privatization of the state telephone monopoly has begun; in 1998 there were more than 2 million unsatisfied applications for telephone connection; internal: cable, wire and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks; local communications are 56.6% digital; international: satellite earth stations – 2 Intelsat, Eutelsat (no data on the number), 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region). Broadcast stations: AM – 14, FM – 777, shortwave – 1 (1998). Radio receivers: 20.2 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 179 (and 256 repeaters) (September 1995). Televisions: 13.05 million (1997) Internet country code: pl Internet service providers: 19 (2000). Number of users: 2.8 million (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total: 23,420 km; with a broad gauge: 646 km with a gauge of 1.524 m; standard gauge: 21,639 km 1.435 m gauge (11,626 km electrified; 8,978 km dual); narrow gauge: 1,135 km with different gauges – 1,000 m, 0.785 m, 0.750 m and 0.600 m (1998). Roads: total: 381,046 km; paved: 249,966 km (including 268 km of freeways); unpaved: 131,080 km (1998 est.) Waterways: 3,812 km of navigable rivers and canals (1996). Pipelines: for crude oil and oil products – 2,280 km; for natural gas -17,000 km (1996). Ports and harbors: Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw. Merchant navy: total: ships (displacement of 1,000 tons or more) with a total displacement of 943,540 gross register tons / 1,532,694 long tons of carrying capacity; ships of various types: bulk carriers – 41, cargo ships – 2, chemical tankers – 1, ferries – 1, coastal passenger ships – 1 (2000 est.). Airports: 122 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 83; over 3,047 m: 3; from 2438 to 3047 m:29; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 42; from 914 to 1523 m:6; less than 914 m: 3 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 39; from 2438 to 3047 m: 1; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4; from 914 to 1523 m:13; less than 914 m: 21 (2000 est.). Helipads: 3 (2000 est.).
Armed forces
Branches of the armed forces: army, navy, air force and air defense. See militarynous.com to know more about Poland Military. Enlistment age: 19 years old. Total Military Manpower: Male 15 to 49: 10,447,931 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: men 15 to 49 pets: 8,139,245 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: male: 344,781 (2001 est.). Military spending in dollar terms: $3.17 billion (2000) Military spending as part of GDP: 1.95%
International Issues
International issues International disputes: no. Illicit drugs: large-scale illicit production of amphetamines for the international market; a minor transit point for Asian and Latin American drugs to Western Europe.
