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Compare Montserrat (2003) - Poland (2005)

Compare Montserrat (2003) z Poland (2005)

 Montserrat (2003)Poland (2005)
 MontserratPoland
Administrative divisions 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter 16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie
Age structure 0-14 years: 23.4% (male 1,062; female 1,041)


15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,805; female 3,066)


65 years and over: 11.4% (male 537; female 484) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 3,319,176/female 3,150,859)


15-64 years: 70.3% (male 13,506,153/female 13,638,265)


65 years and over: 13% (male 1,912,431/female 3,108,260) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork
Airports none; only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter service to Antigua is used (2002) 123 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways - total: 84


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 30


1,524 to 2,437 m: 40


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 3 (2004 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 (2004 est.)
Area total: 102 sq km


land: 102 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 312,685 sq km


land: 304,465 sq km


water: 8,220 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than New Mexico
Background Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. 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 currently suffers low GDP growth and high unemployment. 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.
Birth rate 17.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 10.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $31.4 million


expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)
revenues: $44.52 billion


expenditures: $54.93 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat) Warsaw
Climate tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Coastline 40 km 491 km
Constitution present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997, passed by national referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Montserrat
conventional long form: Republic of Poland


conventional short form: Poland


local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska


local short form: Polska
Currency East Caribbean dollar (XCD) -
Death rate 7.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 10.01 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $8.9 million (1997) $99.15 billion (2004 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE


embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw


mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)


telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000


FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688


consulate(s) general: Krakow
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI


chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802


FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international none as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules
Economic aid - recipient Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance $17 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)
Economy - overview Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade. Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done, especially in bringing down unemployment. The privatization of small and medium-sized state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged the development of the private business sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent corruption are hampering its further development. Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy), while recently initiated, have stalled. 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 reducing losses in Polish state enterprises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers, most of whom pay no tax. The government has introduced a package of social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public spending by about $17 billion through 2007. Additional reductions are under discussion in the legislature but could be trumped by election-year politics in 2005. Poland joined the EU in May 2004, and surging exports to the EU contributed to Poland's strong growth in 2004, though its competitiveness could be threatened by the zloty's appreciation. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic states. Poland stands to benefit from nearly $13.5 billion in EU funds, available through 2006. Farmers have already begun to reap the rewards of membership via higher food prices and EU agricultural subsidies.
Electricity - consumption 2.325 million kWh (2001) 117.4 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 11.5 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 4.5 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 2.5 million kWh (2001) 133.8 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m
lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m


highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Environment - current issues land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation 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 European Union code, but at substantial cost to business and the government
Environment - international agreements - party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Ethnic groups black, white Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)
Exchange rates East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) zlotych per US dollar - 3.6576 (2004), 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002), 4.0939 (2001), 4.3461 (2000)


note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001)


head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister
chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995)


head of government: Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA (since 24 June 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held October 2005); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm


election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president; percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%
Exports NA (2001) 53,000 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6% (2003)
Exports - partners US, Antigua and Barbuda Germany 30%, Italy 6.1%, France 6%, UK 5.4%, Czech Republic 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
GDP purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5.4%


industry: 13.6%


services: 81% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 2.9%


industry: 31.3%


services: 65.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -1% (2002 est.) 5.6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 16 45 N, 62 12 W 52 00 N, 20 00 E
Geography - note the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
Heliports - 3 (2004 est.)
Highways total: 227 km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km


note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003)
total: 364,697 km


paved: 249,088 km (including 399 km of expressways)


unpaved: 115,609 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe
Imports NA (2001) 413,700 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9.1% (2003)
Imports - partners US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada Germany 24.4%, Italy 7.9%, Russia 7.3%, France 6.7%, China 4.6% (2004)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 10% (2004 est.)
Industries tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Infant mortality rate total: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 8.51 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.6% (2002 est.) 3.4% (2004 est.)
International organization participation Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 17 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km 1,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court) Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms)
Labor force 4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity 17.02 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% agriculture 16.1%, industry 29%, services 54.9% (2002)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 2,788 km


border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 526 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 80% (1998 est.)
arable land: 45.91%


permanent crops: 1.12%


other: 52.97% (2001)
Languages English Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
Legal system English common law and statutory law mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg
Legislative branch unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)


note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members


elections: last held NA April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2


note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council
bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly


elections: Senate - last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by September 2009); Sejm elections last held September 25 2005 (next to be held by September 2009)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independents 5; Sejm - percent of vote by party - PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%, LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PiS 155, PO 133, SO 56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2


note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.36 years


male: 76.24 years


female: 80.59 years (2003 est.)
total population: 74.74 years


male: 70.71 years


female: 79.03 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 97% (1970 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.8%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico Central Europe, east of Germany
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Europe
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT


by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1


registered in other countries: 107 (2005)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force Land Forces, Navy, Polish Air Force (PSP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $3.5 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.71% (2002)
National holiday Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Nationality noun: Montserratian(s)


adjective: Montserratian
noun: Pole(s)


adjective: Polish
Natural hazards severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996) flooding
Natural resources NEGL coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Net migration rate 34.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines - gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or KL [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Jozef OLEKSY]; Dom Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]
Population 8,995


note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2003 est.)
38,635,144 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 18.4% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 4.5% (2003 est.) 0.03% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways 0 km total: 23,852 km


broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge


standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational) (11,962 km electrified) (2004)
Religions Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: NA
general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile cellular telephone use


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


international: country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 4,000 (1997) 12.3 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 70 (1994) 17.401 million (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)
Terrain volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Total fertility rate 1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 6% (1998 est.) 19.5% (2004 est.)
Waterways none 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003)
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