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Compare Poland (2004) - Turks and Caicos Islands (2003)

Compare Poland (2004) z Turks and Caicos Islands (2003)

 Poland (2004)Turks and Caicos Islands (2003)
 PolandTurks and Caicos Islands
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 none (overseas territory of the UK)
Age structure 0-14 years: 17.1% (male 3,388,247; female 3,216,085)


15-64 years: 70% (male 13,454,820; female 13,591,814)


65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,896,940; female 3,078,443) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,202; female 3,094)


15-64 years: 63.7% (male 6,484; female 5,848)


65 years and over: 3.7% (male 321; female 401) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Airports 122 (2003 est.) 8 (2002)
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.)
total: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
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.)
total: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 312,685 sq km


land: 304,465 sq km


water: 8,220 sq km
total: 430 sq km


land: 430 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Mexico 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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. 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. The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a British overseas territory.
Birth rate 10.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 23.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $39.13 billion


expenditures: $48.64 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
revenues: $47 million


expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.)
Capital Warsaw Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)
Climate temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Coastline 491 km 389 km
Constitution adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 25 May 1997; effective 17 October 1997 introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Poland


conventional short form: Poland


local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska


local short form: Polska
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
Currency zloty (PLN) US dollar (USD)
Death rate 9.97 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $86.82 billion (2003) $NA
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient EU structural adjustment funds (2000) $4.1 million (1997)
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. 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 a nationwide referendum in November 2003, 77% of the voters voted in favor of Poland's EU accession, 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, while currencies of the other euro-zone aspirants have been appreciating. GDP per capita equals that of the three Baltic states. The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. Tourism fell by 6% in 2002 but appeared to be picking up at yearend.
Electricity - consumption 118.8 billion kWh (2001) 4.65 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 11.04 billion kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 4.306 billion kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 135 billion kWh (2001) 5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m


highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
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 limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
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 Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other 2.7% (2002) black 90%, mixed, European, or north American 10%
Exchange rates zlotych per US dollar - 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002), 4.0939 (2001), 4.3461 (2000), 3.9671 (1999)


note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty
the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995)


head of government: Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004); Deputy Prime Minister 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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)


head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor
Exports 53,000 bbl/day (2001) NA (2001)
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) lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners Germany 32.3%, France 6.1%, Italy 5.8%, UK 5%, Netherlands 4.5%, Czech Republic 4.1% (2003) US, UK
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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 blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus
GDP purchasing power parity - $427.1 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3.1%


industry: 31%


services: 65.9% (2003 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.7% (2003 est.) 4.9% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 52 00 N, 20 00 E 21 45 N, 71 35 W
Geography - note historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain about 40 islands (eight inhabited)
Heliports 3 (2003 est.) -
Highways total: 364,656 km


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


unpaved: 115,596 km (2000)
total: 121 km


paved: 24 km


unpaved: 97 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.2%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
Imports 413,700 bbl/day (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999) food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials
Imports - partners Germany 24.4%, Italy 8.5%, Russia 7.7%, France 7.1%, China 4.3% (2003) US, UK
Independence 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate 8.6% (2003) NA%
Industries machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles tourism, offshore financial services
Infant mortality rate total: 8.73 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 16.87 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 19.48 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.7% (2003 est.) 4% (1995)
International organization participation 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, PFP, 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 Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 14 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,000 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
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
Labor force 16.92 million (2003 est.) 4,848 (1990 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 27.5%, industry 22.1%, services 50.4% (1999) about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services
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
0 km
Land use arable land: 45.91%


permanent crops: 1.12%


other: 52.97% (2001)
arable land: 2.33%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 97.67% (1998 est.)
Languages Polish English (official)
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 laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
Legislative branch 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: 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 10 December 2004) - SLD 154, PO 56, PiS 44, PSL 40, SDPL 33, SO 30, LPR 25, UP 15, PLD 11, SKL 6, RKN 5, Dom Ojczysty 4, PP 3, ROP 3, German minorities 2, independents 26; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party (as of 10 December 2004)- SLD-UP 74, Block Senate 2001 10, PSL and unaffiliated 5, UW 4, SO 2, LPR 2, independents 2, PiS 1


note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 74.16 years


male: 70.04 years


female: 78.52 years (2004 est.)
total population: 74 years


male: 71.82 years


female: 76.3 years (2003 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 has ever attended school


total population: 98%


male: 99%


female: 98% (1970 est.)
Location Central Europe, east of Germany Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti
Map references Europe Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT


by type: bulk 7, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1


registered in other countries: 100 (2004 est.)
none (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches Land Forces, Navy, Air Force -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.5 billion (2002) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.71% (2002) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 10,291,628 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 8,034,577 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 329,743 (2004 est.) -
National holiday Constitution Day, 3 May (1791) Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Nationality noun: Pole(s)


adjective: Polish
noun: none


adjective: none
Natural hazards flooding frequent hurricanes
Natural resources coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land spiny lobster, conch
Net migration rate -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 12.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
People - note - destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US
Pipelines gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Citizens Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Coalition Electoral Action Solidarity of the Right or AWSP; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL-RNP [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Krzysztof JANIK]; 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 [Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI]; Polish Raison d'Etat or PRS [Piotr MUSIAL]; 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 JARUAGA-NOWACKA] People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]
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] NA
Population 38,626,349 (July 2004 est.) 19,350 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 18.4% (2000 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 0.02% (2004 est.) 3.14% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw Grand Turk, Providenciales
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways total: 23,852 km


broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge


standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (11,962 km electrified) (2003)
0 km
Religions Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5% Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)
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 (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female


total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 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: country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services


domestic: NA


international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 12.3 million (2003) 3,000 (1994)
Telephones - mobile cellular 17.4 million (2003) 0 (1994)
Television broadcast stations 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995) 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Total fertility rate 1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.) 3.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (2003) 10% (1997 est.)
Waterways 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003) none
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