|
Tabular Data - Geography of Poland
| Location : |
Central Europe, east of Germany |
| Geographic Coordinates : |
52 00 N, 20 00 E |
| Map References : |
Europe |
| Area : |
total: 312,685 sq km
land: 304,465 sq km
water: 8,220 sq km |
| Area - Comparative : |
slightly smaller than New Mexico |
| 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 |
| Coastline : |
491 km |
| Maritime Claims : |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties |
| 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: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m |
| Natural Resources : |
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land |
| Land Use : |
arable land: 45.91%
permanent crops: 1.12%
other: 52.97% (2001) |
| Irrigated Land : |
1,000 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural Hazards : |
flooding |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Geography - Note : |
Historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain. |
|
|
