Official name
Republic of Poland
Population
38,536,869 (2006 estimate)
Area
312,684 sq km
Capital
Warsaw 1,687,600 (2005 estimate)
Population growth rate
Population growth rate -0.05 percent (2006 estimate)
GDP per capita (U.S.$)
$6,350 (2004)
GDP by economic sector
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.4 percent (2004) Industry 32.5 percent (2004) Services 64.1 percent (2004)
Natural resources
Coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Languages
Polish (official), English, German, Russian
Religious affiliations
Roman Catholic 92 percent
Orthodox Christian 3 percent
Nonreligious 2 percent
Other 3 percent
Introduction
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska), is a country situated in Central Europe. Poland’s capital and largest city is Warsaw. Bordered by Germany in the west, Czech Republic on southwest, Slovakia at west, Ukraine and Belarus at southeast and east, respectively, and Baltic sea, Lithuania and Kaliningrad Oblast at north, Poland represent 7th largest country in Europe. Ever since the end of the Second World War, Poland has been mainly Catholic, where Poles make 99,3% of population.
History
By the mid 10th century, Poland accepted Christianity and became an entity under Piast dynasty. The name Polska (Poland), applied in the early 11th century, comes from an ancient Slavic tribe known as the Polanie (field or plains dwellers), who settled in the lowlands between the Odra (Oder) and Visła (Vistula) rivers sometime after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Poland, then united with Lithuania, was one of the major European powers under the Jagiellonian dynasty. Over this period, Poland expanded, becoming the largest European country of the time. When the dynasty came to an end in 1572, Poland entered a long period of decline, culminating in the partition of the country between Russia, Austria, and Prussia in 1772, 1793, and 1795.
Poles had rebel several times, until Napoleon recreated the Polish country in 1807. However, in 1815. Poland has been again divided among Napoleon’s opponents. During WWI Allies agreed to reconstitute Poland, and in 1918. the country gained independence. After German invasion in 1939. followed by Russian invasion, Poland capitulated and was split between these two countries, and by the wars end, country appeared 20%smaller with its borders shifted towards west. Poland lost up to six million citizens in the WWII. In 1955. Poland became a part of Warsaw Treaty Organization, but with USSR collapse it became democratic republic, becoming a member of NATO in 1991 and a full member of EU in 2004.
Environmental Issues
Poland, like many other Eastern European countries, suffered significant environmental damage as a result of the economic policies of the Communist period (1945-1989), which emphasized the rapid development of heavy industry. Much of this damage did not become evident until the late 1980s and early 1990s. Although environmental problems affect most of the country, the worst damage has been inflicted on the industrial region of Silesia and in Krakow region, in southern Poland. Air, soil, water and forests all suffered severe damage due to economic dependence on natural sources use. In 1991 Poland had recognized 5 environmentally disastrous areas.
The country produces most of its energy by burning imported fossil fuels, particularly coal. Severe air pollution resulting from the emissions of coal-fired power plants has measurably affected human health, showing symptoms as respiratory diseases, infant death, lead containing blood and alarmingly high cancer rate comparing to the Western Europe. The country has not recovered yet from deforestation during WWII while by mid 1990s air pollution was so severe that up to 75% of forests show damage by acid rain and air contaminators. In 1992 Poland had the worlds 12th highest rate of industrial carbon dioxide release.
Water pollution is a serious problem throughout Poland and is caused mainly by industrial and municipal waste and acid rain. About one-third of the total length of Poland’s rivers and one-quarter of the country’s lakes are severely polluted. Rivers that are particularly affected include rivers Wisła, Bobr, Nida, Wisłoka, and river Bug. In the early 1990s the overwhelming majority of the country’s river water was considered undrinkable. The Baltic Sea is also heavily polluted, mainly by industrial discharges, which severely inhibits the development of its beaches for tourism.
Serious efforts are being made to purify sewage and industrial discharges in Poland, but in 1993 more than one-quarter of the country’s waste water was still being released untreated into rivers. Although more than 300 waste water treatment plants have been built in Poland, many of the country’s factories and towns still do not have waste purification facilities.
Other environmental problems in Poland include deforestation and defoliation resulting from acid rain and other forms of air pollution, wildlife endangerment and extinction, and soil contamination. In recent years, preventive measures have been introduced in Poland’s mining and energy sectors in an effort to decrease pollution levels. These measures include the adoption of new regulations, heavy fines, and the installation of filtering and purification equipment. In addition, a number of political parties and citizen groups have formed around environmental issues. However, public attitudes toward the environment remain divided in Poland, owing largely to concerns about job losses and other potential economic consequences of environmental protection. As from 2001 9.1% of the total land has been put under protection. Almost 20 species (both flora and fauna) are at endangered or threatened species category.
In mid 1980s Poland launched geothermal energy program. Biomass and wind are two most promising renewable energy sources n the country. Poland The Polish National RES Strategy was approved by the Polish Parliament on 23 August 2001.
Climate change consequences
North-western Poland belongs to the Baltic region, with its rivers running into the Baltic sea. Climate changes effects assessments are still uncertain whether changes in climate regime will reduce the amount of water flowing into the Baltic, as a consequence of a draught, or increase the water inflow, due to precipitation increase. Indeed, since up to 60% of the land is an agriculture area, these changes will also have a significant effect on the agriculture - yield and food production rate. Another important effect of changes in the Baltic region will be global sea level rise, which would affect coastal line of the country.
