Name
The name probably comes from the Slavic word "pole," meaning "field" or "plain" and indicating Poland's flat nature.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Poland
51.99° N, 19.49° E
For every 8.03 per 1,000 births there are 11.56 per 1,000 deaths — the population is falling 0.98% a year.
population growth -0.98% · 224th/230 · birth rate 8.03 per 1,000 · 202nd/226 · death rate 11.56 per 1,000 · 21st/226
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 37,970,874
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 312,685 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 313,763 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 121 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- PL · POL
- GDP (nominal)
- $914.7 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $45,100
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Poland 312,685 km²Guinea 245,857 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Poland sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age43.4 years36th of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy76.7 years100th of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate1.33 children per woman204th of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population37,970,87438th of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area312,685 km²70th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline440 km111th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Background
Near the middle of the 10th century, Poland's history as a state began. By the mid-16th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth ruled a vast tract of land in Central and Eastern Europe. During the 18th century, internal disorder weakened the nation. Between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland among themselves through a series of agreements.
Poland regained its independence in 1918, but Germany and the Soviet Union overran it during World War II. After the war, Poland became a Soviet satellite state. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of Solidarity, an independent trade union that later became a political force. Free elections in 1989 and 1990 gave Solidarity control of the parliament and the presidency, bringing the communist era to a close. During the early 1990s, a 'shock therapy' program enabled Poland to transform its economy. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
People and society
The country's ethnic groups include Polish, Silesian, German, and Ukrainian people, alongside others. Polish is the official language, while Silesian and other languages are also spoken.
Religious affiliations include Roman Catholic, people who refused to answer, people with no religion, Orthodox, Jehovah Witness, Evangelic of Augsburg, Greek Catholic, Pentecostal, and other Protestant communities. Other named communities include Greek Catholic, Pentecostal, and other Protestant communities. People are concentrated in the southern area around Krakow, the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, and the northern coastal city of Gdansk.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Government
Its government takes the form of a parliamentary republic. The legal system is a civil law system, with judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final. The latest constitution was adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, and became effective 17 October 1997. Independence is dated 11 November 1918, when the republic was proclaimed. The national holiday is Constitution Day, 3 May (1791).
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Flag and symbols
Two equal horizontal bands make up the flag: white on top and red below. These colors derive from the Polish emblem, a white eagle on a red field. The national symbol is the white crowned eagle.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $914.7 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $1.65 trillion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $45,100
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +2.9%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 3.8%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 2.5%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $478.58 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $441.95 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 76.7 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 43.4 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 8.03 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 11.56 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 1.33 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- -0.98% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 60.2%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 312,685 km²Land 304,255 km² · Water 8,430 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 440 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 2,865 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 173 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 2,499 m Rysy
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Natural geography 6
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Seas 1
Mountain ranges 3
Largest cities 24
Population · Natural Earth