Location Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates 52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references Europe

Area
total: 312,683 sq km
land: 304,510 sq km
water: 8,173 sq km

Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries
total: 2,888 km
border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 428 km

Coastline 491 km

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

Climate temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers

Terrain mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt

Land use
arable land: 47%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 29%
other: 10% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards NA

Environment - current issues situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by postcommunist 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

Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Law of the Sea

Geography - note historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

NOTE: The information regarding Poland on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Poland Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Poland Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.