Geography of Poland (original) (raw)
Location: Central Europe, east of Germany
**Geographic coordinates:**52 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
_total:_312,685 km�
_land:_304,465 km�
_water:_8,220 km�
**Area - comparative:**slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
_total:_2,888 km
border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km,Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 428 km
**Coastline:**491 km
Maritime claims:
_exclusive economic zone:_defined by international treaties
_territorial sea:_12 nautical miles
**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:_Raczki Elblaskie -1,8 m
_highest point:_Rysy 2,499 m
Islands: Wolin, east of Usedom
Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, zinc, lead, salt, arable land
Land use:
_arable land:_47%
_permanent crops:_1%
_permanent pastures:_13%
_forests and woodland:_29%
_other:_10% (1993 est.)
**Irrigated land:**1,000 km� (1993 est.)
**Natural hazards:**NA
Important rivers: Vistula (Wisla), Odra, Warta River, Narew, San)
See also: Rivers of Poland
**Environment - current issues:**situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by postcommunist 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
Environment - international agreements:
_party to:_Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
_signed, but not ratified:_Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
**Geography - note:**historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
See also : Poland