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Compare Poland (2005) - American Samoa (2005)

Compare Poland (2005) z American Samoa (2005)

 Poland (2005)American Samoa (2005)
 PolandAmerican Samoa
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 (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western
Age structure 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.)
0-14 years: 35.7% (male 10,705/female 9,956)


15-64 years: 61.3% (male 18,351/female 17,125)


65 years and over: 3% (male 664/female 1,080) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Airports 123 (2004 est.) 3 (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.)
total: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (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.)
total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area total: 312,685 sq km


land: 304,465 sq km


water: 8,220 sq km
total: 199 sq km


land: 199 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Mexico slightly larger than Washington, DC
Background 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. Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.
Birth rate 10.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 23.13 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $44.52 billion


expenditures: $54.93 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)


expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY96/97)
Capital Warsaw Pago Pago
Climate temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 491 km 116 km
Constitution adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997, passed by national referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997 ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Poland


conventional short form: Poland


local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska


local short form: Polska
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa


conventional short form: American Samoa


abbreviation: AS
Death rate 10.01 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 3.33 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $99.15 billion (2004 est.) $NA
Dependency status - unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
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 (territory of the US)
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 (territory of the US)
Disputes - international as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules none
Economic aid - recipient $17 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06) important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
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, 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. This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts most of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.
Electricity - consumption 117.4 billion kWh (2002) 120.9 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 11.5 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 4.5 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 133.8 billion kWh (2002) 130 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m


highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Lata 966 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; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines
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 and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census) native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census)
Exchange rates 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
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 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%
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)


head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)


cabinet: cabinet made up of 12 department directors


elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)


election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%
Exports 53,000 bbl/day (2001) NA
Exports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6% (2003) canned tuna 93%
Exports - partners Germany 30%, Italy 6.1%, France 6%, UK 5.4%, Czech Republic 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004) Samoa 39.8%, Australia 19.9%, Japan 15.1%, New Zealand 10.5% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 October - 30 September
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 a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2.9%


industry: 31.3%


services: 65.9% (2004 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.6% (2004 est.) NA
Geographic coordinates 52 00 N, 20 00 E 14 20 S, 170 00 W
Geography - note historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
Heliports 3 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 364,697 km


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


unpaved: 115,609 km (2001)
total: 185 km


paved: 185 km


unpaved: 0 km (2004)
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 -
Imports 413,700 bbl/day (2001) NA
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9.1% (2003) materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%
Imports - partners Germany 24.4%, Italy 7.9%, Russia 7.3%, France 6.7%, China 4.6% (2004) Japan 31.4%, New Zealand 27.9%, Germany 17.1%, Australia 8.9% (2004)
Independence 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed) none (territory of the US)
Industrial production growth rate 10% (2004 est.) NA%
Industries machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Infant mortality rate 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.)
total: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.85 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.4% (2004 est.) NA%
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, 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 Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU
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) High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Labor force 17.02 million (2004 est.) 14,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 16.1%, industry 29%, services 54.9% (2002) tuna canneries 34%, government 33%, other 33% (1990)
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: 10%


permanent crops: 15%


other: 75% (2001)
Languages Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census) Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2%


note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)
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 NA
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: 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
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006); Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - independents 18


note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate
Life expectancy at birth total population: 74.74 years


male: 70.71 years


female: 79.03 years (2005 est.)
total population: 75.84 years


male: 72.27 years


female: 79.62 years (2005 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: 97%


male: 98%


female: 97% (1980 est.)
Location Central Europe, east of Germany Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Map references Europe Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine 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 US
Military branches 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 Constitution Day, 3 May (1791) Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Nationality noun: Pole(s)


adjective: Polish
noun: American Samoan(s)


adjective: American Samoan
Natural hazards flooding typhoons common from December to March
Natural resources coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land pumice, pumicite
Net migration rate -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -20.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders 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] Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK] NA
Population 38,635,144 (July 2005 est.) 57,881 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line 18.4% (2000 est.) NA
Population growth rate 0.03% (2005 est.) -0.11% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin Pago Pago
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)
Railways 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 Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002) Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%
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 (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


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


total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 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: NA


domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station


international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 12.3 million (2003) 15,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 17.401 million (2003) 2,377 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995) 1; note - one cable TV station (2004)
Terrain mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Total fertility rate 1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.) 3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 19.5% (2004 est.) 6% (2000)
Waterways 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003) -
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