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PolandGeography
| CIA World Factbook 2005 | Download this dictionary |
Poland: Geography
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Location: |
Central Europe, east of Germany |
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Geographic coordinates: |
52 00 N, 20 00 E |
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Map references: |
Europe |
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Area: |
total: 312,685 sq km
land: 304,465 sq km water: 8,220 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than New Mexico |
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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 |
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Coastline: |
491 km |
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties |
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Climate: |
temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers |
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Terrain: |
mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m |
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Natural resources: |
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land |
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Land use: |
arable land: 45.91%
permanent crops: 1.12% other: 52.97% (2001) |
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Irrigated land: |
1,000 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards: |
flooding |
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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 |
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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 |
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Geography - note: |
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain |
More about Poland:
The World Factbook 2005, by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
