Poland

Republic of Poland

LOCATION

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.

Location: Central Europe, east of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 312,685 sq km
land: 304,255 sq km
water: 8,430 sq km
Area - comparative: about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico
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
Coastline: 440 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: highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
mean elevation: 173 m
Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Land use: 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.)
forest: 31% (2023 est.)
other: 21% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,327 sq km (2016)
Major lakes (area sq km): salt water lake(s): Zalew Szczecinski/Stettiner Haff (shared with Germany) - 900 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Wisla (Vistula) river source and mouth (shared with Belarus and Ukraine) - 1,213 kmnote: longest river in Poland
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
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
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

Population: total: 38,746,310 (2024 est.)
male: 18,441,415
female: 20,304,895
Nationality: noun: Pole(s)
adjective: Polish
Ethnic groups: Polish 96.9%, Silesian 1.1%, German 0.2%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.)
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.)
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)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 51.6 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 21.6 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 30.1 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 3.3 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 43.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 41.5 years
female: 44.3 years
Population growth rate: -0.98% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 8.03 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 11.56 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (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
Urbanization: urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: -0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.798 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow (2023)
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
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 27.9 years (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.7 years (2024 est.)
male: 72.8 years
female: 80.9 years
Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.65 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 82.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 90.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 17.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 9.6% of population (2022 est.)
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.)
Physician density: 4.03 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density: 6.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 23.1% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 10.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 5.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 4.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 21.6% (2025 est.)
male: 25.6% (2025 est.)
female: 17.8% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 0.7% (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 58.6% (2021 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 10% national budget (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 17 years (2023 est.)
male: 16 years (2023 est.)
female: 18 years (2023 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
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
Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Land use: 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.)
forest: 31% (2023 est.)
other: 21% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: -0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 264.031 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.)
from consumed natural gas: 36.835 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 18.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 954.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 595.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 292 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 36.3 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.)
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.)
Total renewable water resources: 60.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Geoparks: total global geoparks and regional networks: 3 (2024)
global geoparks and regional networks: Land of Extinct Volcanoes; Muskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa (includes Germany); Holy Cross Mountains (2024)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Poland
conventional short form: Poland
local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
local short form: Polska
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
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Warsaw
geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E
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
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
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)
Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final
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
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Karol NAWROCKI (since 6 August 2025)
head of government: Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 11 December 2023)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by the Sejm
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
most recent election date: 18 May 2025, with the second round on 1 June 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 20252025: 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%
expected date of next election: July 2030
Legislative branch: legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name: Sejm
number of seats: 460 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/15/2023
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)
percentage of women in chamber: 31.3%
expected date of next election: October 2027
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name: Senate (Senat)
number of seats: 100 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/15/2023
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)
percentage of women in chamber: 19%
expected date of next election: October 2027
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)
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
subordinate courts: administrative courts; military courts; local, regional and appellate courts subdivided into military, civil, criminal, labor, and family courts
Political parties: Civic CoalitionConfederationFree RepublicansPolish Coalition or PSLThe LeftUnited Right or PiS
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Bogdan Adam KLICH (since 21 November 2024)
chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 499-1700
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2152
email address and website: washington.amb.sekretariat@msz.gov.plhttps://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/embassy-washington
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas ROSE (since 6 November 2025)
embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, 00-540 Warsaw
mailing address: 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010
telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
FAX: [48] (22) 504-2088
email address and website: acswarsaw@state.govhttps://pl.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Krakow
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
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)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Flag: description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and redmeaning: colors derive from the Polish emblem, a white eagle on a red field
National symbol(s): white crowned eagle
National color(s): white, red
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.
National anthem(s): title: "Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka)
lyrics/music: Jozef WYBICKI/traditional
history: adopted 1927;
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)

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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $1.649 trillion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $1.602 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.598 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 2.9% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $45,100 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $43,700 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $43,400 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $914.696 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 3.8% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 11.5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 14.4% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.)
industry: 26.4% (2024 est.)
services: 59.9% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 57.6% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 20.8% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.8% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 52.3% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -48.3% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: sugar beets, milk, wheat, maize, potatoes, triticale, apples, rapeseed, barley, rye (2023)
Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: -0.6% (2023 est.)
Labor force: 18.245 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 2.5% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 2.8% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 2.9% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 9.9% (2024 est.)
male: 10.1% (2024 est.)
female: 9.6% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 12.2% (2023 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022: 28.9 (2022 est.)
Average household expenditures: on food: 18.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 6.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 23.1% (2022 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $291.603 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $328.497 billion (2023 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2017: 50.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 18% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: $1.789 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $14.535 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$15.822 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $478.579 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $471.571 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $436.388 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: Germany 25%, UK 6%, Czechia 6%, France 6%, Italy 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities: vehicle parts/accessories, electric batteries, plastic products, cars, seats (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $441.945 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $423.797 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $421.765 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: Germany 22%, China 12%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 4%, USA 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, cars, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, plastic products (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $223.115 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $193.783 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $166.664 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: zlotych (PLN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 3.981 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 4.204 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 4.458 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 3.862 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 3.9 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 64.806 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 159.639 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 11.403 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 15.14 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 8.549 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 72.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 14.4% 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.)
Coal: production: 96.72 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 99.932 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 10.805 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 10.041 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 27.758 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 24,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 743,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 113 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas: production: 5.345 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 20.602 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 747.124 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 15.111 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 91.492 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 103.651 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

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.)
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
Internet users: percent of population: 86% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 10.1 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: SP
Airports: 318 (2025)
Heliports: 16 (2025)
Railways: total: 19,461 km (2020) 11,946 km electrified
Merchant marine: total: 152 (2023)
by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 6, other 140
Ports: total ports: 10 (2024)
large: 2
medium: 2
small: 4
very small: 2
ports with oil terminals: 5
key ports: Gdansk, Gdynia, Port Polnochny, Szczecin

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 expenditures: Military Expenditures 2025: 4.5% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024: 3.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 3.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 235,000 active military personnel (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 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 deployments: 250 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 300 Latvia (NATO); 190 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)
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 Belarussince 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)

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 spacecraft1991 - began cooperating with the ESA1994 - began participating in Russia's Koronas solar research missions 2012 - joined ESA; first domestically built scientific nanosatellite (PW-Sat) launched on European rocket2021 - joined US-led Artemis Accords for lunar and space exploration2024 - successfully launched domestically developed experimental suborbital rocket (ILR-33 Amber 2K) to altitude of 101 kms2025 - first Polish astronaut and scientific mission on International Space Station

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 1,019,863 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 1,486 (2024 est.)
Illicit drugs: USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025)