FAX: (22) 628-82-98

consulate(s) general: Krakow

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Poland Economy

Economy - overview: Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of liberalizing the economy and today stands out as one of the most successful and open transition economies. GDP growth has been strong and steady since 1992 - the best performance in the region. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms has allowed for the rapid development of a vibrant private sector. In contrast, Poland's large agricultural sector remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy) has begun. Structural reforms in health care, education, the pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger than expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on privatization of Poland's remaining state sector. The government's determination to enter the EU as soon as possible affects most aspects of its economic policies. Improving Poland's outsized current account deficit and reining in inflation are priorities. Warsaw leads the region in foreign investment and needs a continued large inflow.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $327.5 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8%

industry: 36.6%

services: 59.6% (1999)

Population below poverty line: 18.4% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 26.3% (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.2% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 17.2 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: 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 expenditures of $NA (1999)

Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (1999)

Electricity - production: 134.351 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 96.43%

hydro: 3.16%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0.41% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 120.007 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 8.43 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 3.491 billion kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

Exports: $28.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 25.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 20.9%, food and live animals 8.5% (1999)

Exports - 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 (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)

Imports - partners: Germany 25.2%, Italy 9.4%, France 6.8%, Russia 5.8%, UK 4.6%, Netherlands 3.7% (1999)

Debt - external: $57 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: zloty (PLN)

Currency code: PLN

Exchange rates: zlotych per US dollar - 4.3126 (December 2000), 4.3461 (2000), 3.9671 (1999), 3.4754 (1998), 3.2793 (1997), 2.6961 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Poland Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 8.07 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.78 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system; government aimed to have 10 million telephones in service by 2000; the process of partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly has begun; in 1998 there were over 2 million applicants on the waiting list for telephone service

domestic: cable, open wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital

international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 20.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions: 13.05 million (1997)

Internet country code: .pl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (2000)

Internet users: 2.8 million (2000)

Poland Transportation

Railways: total: 23,420 km

broad gauge: 646 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge: 21,639 km 1.435-m gauge (11,626 km electrified; 8,978 km double track)

narrow gauge: 1,135 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (1998)

Highways: total: 381,046 km

paved: 249,966 km (including 268 km of expressways)

unpaved: 131,080 km (1998)

Waterways: 3,812 km (navigable rivers and canals) (1996)

Pipelines: crude oil and petroleum products 2,280 km; natural gas 17,000 km (1996)

Ports and harbors: Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin,
Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw

Merchant marine: total: 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 943,540 GRT/1,532,694 DWT

ships by type: bulk 41, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: 122 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 83

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 29

1,524 to 2,437 m: 42

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 39

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 21 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2000 est.)

Poland Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 10,447,931 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 8,139,245 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 344,781 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.17 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.95% (FY00)

Poland Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of amphetamine for the international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe

@Portugal

Portugal Introduction

Background: Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal entered the EC in 1985.

Portugal Geography

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain

Geographic coordinates: 39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 92,391 sq km

land: 91,951 sq km

water: 440 sq km

note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km

border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline: 1,793 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble, arable land, hydro power

Land use: arable land: 26%

permanent crops: 9%

permanent pastures: 9%

forests and woodland: 36%

other: 20% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 6,300 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues: soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Portugal People

Population: 10,066,253 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.96% (male 877,379; female 830,242)

15-64 years: 67.42% (male 3,321,473; female 3,465,481)

65 years and over: 15.62% (male 637,207; female 934,471) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.18% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 11.51 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.94 years

male: 72.44 years

female: 79.68 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.74% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 36,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 280 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)

adjective: Portuguese

Ethnic groups: homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000

Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Languages: Portuguese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.4%

male: NA%

female: NA%

Portugal Government

Country name: conventional long form: Portuguese Republic

conventional short form: Portugal

local long form: Republica Portuguesa

local short form: Portugal

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Lisbon

Administrative divisions: 18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Independence: 1140 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)

National holiday: Portugal Day, 10 June (1580)

Constitution: 25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5
November 1992, and 3 September 1997

Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9
March 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Manuel de Oliviera GUTERRES (since 28 October 1995)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA January 2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president

election results: Jorge SAMPAIO re-elected president; percent of vote - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral (Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 10 October 1999 (next to be held by NA October 2003)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 115, PSD 81, PCP 15, PP 15, PEV 2, The Left Bloc 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders: The Greens or PEV [leader NA];
Popular Party or PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Portuguese Communist
Party/United Democratic Coalition or PCP/CDU [Carlos CARVALHAS];
Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Antonio GUTERRES]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [leader vacant]; The Left Bloc [no leader]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Joao Alberto Bacelar ROCHA PARIS

chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 328-8610