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Compare Poland (2003) - Nepal (2002)

Compare Poland (2003) z Nepal (2002)

 Poland (2003)Nepal (2002)
 PolandNepal
Administrative divisions 16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti
Age structure 0-14 years: 17.5% (male 3,458,844; female 3,284,995)


15-64 years: 69.8% (male 13,407,012; female 13,547,728)


65 years and over: 12.7% (male 1,879,445; female 3,044,636) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 40% (male 5,346,422; female 5,007,416)


15-64 years: 56.4% (male 7,476,202; female 7,125,471)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 453,263; female 465,143) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Airports 150 (2002) 45 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 88


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 30


1,524 to 2,437 m: 39


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 9 (2002)
total: 9


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 62


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 15


under 914 m: 43 (2002)
total: 36


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 28 (2002)
Area total: 312,685 sq km


land: 304,465 sq km


water: 8,220 sq km
total: 140,800 sq km


land: 136,800 sq km


water: 4,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Mexico slightly larger than Arkansas
Background Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around 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, until an agreement in 1772 between Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland. 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 is scheduled to accede to the European Union along with nine other states on 1 May 2004. In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A maoist insugency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening to bring down the regime. Ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, were massacred in a family dispute in 2001. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and his appointed cabinet until elections can be held at some unspecified future date.
Birth rate 10.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 32.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $49.6 billion


expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)
revenues: $665 million


expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)
Capital Warsaw Kathmandu
Climate temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Coastline 491 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 16 October 1997; adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 23 May 1997 9 November 1990
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Poland


conventional short form: Poland


local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska


local short form: Polska
conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal


conventional short form: Nepal
Currency zloty (PLN) Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Death rate 9.96 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 10.03 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $64 billion (2002) $2.55 billion (FY00/01)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL


embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw P1


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) 504-2951


consulate(s) general: Krakow
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. MALINOWSKI


embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [977] (1) 411179


FAX: [977] (1) 419963
Diplomatic representation in the US 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
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Jai Pratap RANA


chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550


FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international small boundary changes made with Slovakia in 2003 formed Joint Border committee with India in 2001 to resolve 53 disputed sections of boundary covering an area of 720 sq km; approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal
Economic aid - recipient EU structural adjustment funds $424 million (FY00/01)
Economy - overview 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. The privatization of small and medium 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 structural problems, 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 due to a lack of political will on the part of the government. 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 reduction of state employment, and an overhaul of the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers most of whom pay no tax. The government's determination to enter the EU has shaped most aspects of its economic policy and new legislation; in June 2003, 77% of the voters approved membership, now scheduled for May 2004. Improving Poland's export competitiveness and containing the internal budget deficit are top priorities. Due to political uncertainty, the zloty has recently depreciated in relation to the euro and the dollar while currencies of the other euro-zone aspirants have been appreciating. GDP per capita equals that of the 3 Baltic states. Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with nearly half of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 41% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Textile and carpet production, accounteing for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in recent years, contracted significantly in 2001 due to the overall slowdown in the world economy and pressures by Maoist insurgents on factory owners and workers. Security concerns in the wake of Maoist activity, the June massacre of many members of the royal family, and the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US led to a decrease in tourism, another key source of foreign exchange. Agricultural production is growing by about 5% on average as compared with annual population growth of 2.3%. Since May 1991, the government has been moving forward with economic reforms, particularly those that encourage trade and foreign investment, e.g., by reducing business licenses and registration requirements to simplify investment procedures. The government has also been cutting expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. More recently, however, political instability - five different governments over the past few years - has hampered Kathmandu's ability to forge consensus to implement key economic reforms. Nepal has considerable scope for accelerating economic growth by exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of growth.
Electricity - consumption 118.8 billion kWh (2001) 1.431 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 11.04 billion kWh (2001) 95 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 4.306 billion kWh (2001) 174 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 135 billion kWh (2001) 1.454 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 98.1%


hydro: 1.5%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0.4% (2001)
fossil fuel: 10%


hydro: 90%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m


highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m


highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)
Environment - current issues 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 deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Belarusian 0.5% (1990 est.) Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)
Exchange rates zlotych per US dollar - 3.99 (2002), 4.09 (2001), 4.35 (2000), 3.97 (1999), 3.48 (1998)


note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty
Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 76.675 (January 2002), 74.961 (2001), 71.094 (2000), 68.239 (1999), 65.976 (1998), 58.010 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995)


head of government: Prime Minister Leszek MILLER (SLD) (since 19 October 2001), Deputy Prime Ministers Marek POL (since 19 October 2001), Jerzy HAUSNER (since 11 June 2003)


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 NA 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%
chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)


head of government: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur CHAND (since 11 October 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch


note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his uncle
Exports 53,000 bbl/day (2001) $757 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border trade with India (FY00/01 est.)
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) carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
Exports - partners Germany 33%, Italy 5.7%, France 5%, UK 4.8%, Czech Republic 4.3% (2002) India 48%, US 26%, Germany 11% (FY00/01)
Fiscal year calendar year 16 July - 15 July
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 red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun
GDP purchasing power parity - $373.2 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $35.6 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3.8%


industry: 35%


services: 61.2% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 41%


industry: 22%


services: 37% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $9,700 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.4% (2002 est.) 2.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 52 00 N, 20 00 E 28 00 N, 84 00 E
Geography - note historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border with China
Heliports 3 (2002) -
Highways total: 364,656 km


paved: 249,060 km (including 358 km of expressways)


unpaved: 115,596 km (2000)
total: 13,223 km


paved: 4,073 km


unpaved: 9,150 km (April 1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 30% (1995-96)
Illicit drugs major illicit producer of amphetamine for the international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West
Imports 413,700 bbl/day (2001) $1.6 billion f.o.b. (FY00/01 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999) gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer
Imports - partners Germany 29.9%, Italy 8.1%, Russia 7.4%, France 7.2%, Netherlands 5.3% (2002) India 39%, Singapore 10%, China/Hong Kong 9%, (FY00/01)
Independence 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed) 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
Industrial production growth rate 0.3% (2001) 8.7% (FY99/00)
Industries machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production
Infant mortality rate total: 8.95 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.04 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
72.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.9% (2002 est.) 2.1%
International organization participation ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 19 (2000) 6 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,000 sq km (1998 est.) 11,350 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch 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) Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)
Labor force 17.6 million (2000 est.) 10 million


note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation industry 22.1%, agriculture 27.5%, services 50.4% (1999) agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3%
Land boundaries 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
total: 2,926 km


border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Land use arable land: 45.81%


permanent crops: 1.23%


other: 52.96% (1998 est.)
arable land: 20.27%


permanent crops: 0.49%


other: 79.24% (1998 est.)
Languages Polish Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in government and business also speak English (1995)
Legal system 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 based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists of the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms)


elections: Sejm elections last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held by September 2005); Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held by September 2005)


election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - SLD-UP 41%, PO 12.7%, Samoobrona 10.2%, PiS 9.5%, PSL 9%, LPR 7.9%, AWSP 5.6% UW 3.1%, other 1%; seats by party (as of 25 April 2003) - SLD 193, PO 57, Samoobrona 39, PiS 43, PSL 39, LPR 28, UP 16, SKL 8, PLD 6, PBL 5, RKN 5, PP 3, ROP 3, German minorities 2, independents 13; note - SLD and UP ran together on electoral lists in the 2001 elections, but constitute separate parliamentary clubs in the Sejm; several other deputies have left their parties and set up other parliamentary factions; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SLD-UP 75, AWSP (an electoral alliance of some 36 parties) 15, PSL 4, Samoobrona 2, LPR 2, independents 2


note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties
note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002 and elections are scheduled for 13 November 2002

bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next to be held 13 November 2002)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.91 years


male: 69.77 years


female: 78.28 years (2003 est.)
total population: 58.61 years


male: 59.01 years


female: 58.2 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.8%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 27.5%


male: 40.9%


female: 14% (1995 est.)
Location Central Europe, east of Germany Southern Asia, between China and India
Map references Europe Asia
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties


territorial sea: 12 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 199,186 GRT/275,476 DWT


ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)
-
Military branches Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service), Nepalese Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.5 billion (2002) $51.5 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.71% (2002) 1% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 10,354,978 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 6,484,343 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 8,077,706 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 3,369,454 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age (2003 est.) 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 343,500 (2003 est.) males: 292,589 (2002 est.)
National holiday Constitution Day, 3 May (1791) Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)
Nationality noun: Pole(s)


adjective: Polish
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)


adjective: Nepalese
Natural hazards flooding severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
Natural resources coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Net migration rate -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 12,901 km; oil 737 km (2003) -
Political parties and leaders Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Citizens Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL-RNP [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Leszek MILLER]; 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 Bloc or PBL [Wojciech MOJZESOWICZ]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Jaroslaw KALINOWSKI]; Samoobrona [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Marek POL] Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; National People's Front (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra Bahadur, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chair]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president, Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila Mani POKHAREL, general secretary]
Political pressure groups and leaders All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Maciej MANICKI]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK] Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups
Population 38,622,660 (July 2003 est.) 25,873,917 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 18.4% (2000 est.) 42% (FY95/96 est. )
Population growth rate 0% (2003 est.) 2.29% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw none
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)
Radios - 840,000 (1997)
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)


narrow gauge: 1,135 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (2002)
total: 59 km


narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge


note: all in Kosi close to Indian border (2001)
Religions Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5% Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%


note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)
Sex ratio 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 (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network


domestic: NA


international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 8.07 million (1998) 236,816 (January 2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 13 million (2002) NA
Television broadcast stations 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995) 1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)
Terrain mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
Total fertility rate 1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.) 4.48 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 18.1% (2002) 47% (2001 est.)
Waterways 3,812 km (navigable rivers and canals) (1996) none
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