Population: 39 million
Capital: Warsaw
Major language: Polish
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 68 years (men), 77 years (women)
Monetary unit: 1 zloty = 100 groszy
Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals
Average annual income: US $4,200
Internet domain: .pl
International dialling code: +48
About Poland
Positioned at the centre of Europe, Poland has known turbulent and violent, as well as prosperous, times. There have been periods of independence as well as periods of domination by other countries. Several million Polish people, half of them Jews, died in World War II.
In 1989 Poland became the first of the eastern European countries to overthrow Communist rule, following years of demonstrations, strikes and an underground political movement led by the Trades Union movement Solidarity. Despite strong Russian objections, Poland joined Nato in 1999 and has been part of the EU since mid 2005.
Poland has achieved some success in creating a market economy and attracting foreign investment, but unemployment remains high and incomes and growth low. The huge farming sector is unwieldy and very inefficient, with many farms still retaining their medieval land divisions into inefficient, long strips. In spite of this, Poland's agricultural output is greater than that of Great Britain, France and Italy combined, which is why future EU subsidy levels have been a major area of controversy. Corruption has been singled out by the European Commission as a particularly major problem that must be urgently addressed, as well as the need to improve border controls.
The Roman Catholic church, a very strong force in Polish life, has expressed concern that modern lifestyles are corrupting moral values, and has been involved in heated debates over issues such as worship in schools and abortion.