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Climate:

tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain:

rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Natural resources:

miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish

note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore

Land use:

arable land: NA

permanent crops: NA

other: NA

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (especially November to March)

Environment - current issues:

deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Geography - note:

Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed offshore

People Pitcairn Islands

Population:

48 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:

0% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

NA

Sex ratio:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

NA (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)

adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Ethnic groups:

descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

Religions:

Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Languages:

English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Literacy:

NA

Government Pitcairn Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands

conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Adamstown

geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W

time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:

30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Legal system:

local island by-laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands George FERGUSSON (since April 2006); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since September 2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council

head of government: Governor George FERGUSSON (since April 2006); Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Mike WARREN (since 1 January 2008)

cabinet: NA

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a three-year term; election last held December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007)

election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council

Legislative branch:

unicameral Island Council (10 seats; 5 members elected by popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected members serve one-year terms)

elections: last held 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2007)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:

Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Judicial Officers are appointed by the Governor

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

Economy Pitcairn Islands

Economy - overview:

The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships. In October 2004, more than one-quarter of Pitcairn's small labor force was arrested, putting the economy in a bind, since their services were required as lighter crew to load or unload passing ships.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

15 able-bodied men (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:

note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Budget:

revenues: $746,000

expenditures: $1.028 million (FY04/05)

Agriculture - products:

honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens, fish

Industries:

postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey

Electricity - production:

NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered generator

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs

Economic aid - recipient:

$3.465 million (2004)

Currency (code):

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:

NZD

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Communications Pitcairn Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: satellite phone services

domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)

international: country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1 (Inmarsat)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (15 Ham radio operators (VP6)) (2004)

Radios:

NA

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.pn

Internet hosts:

9 (2007)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

NA

Transportation Pitcairn Islands

Ports and terminals:

Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Military Pitcairn Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Pitcairn Islands

Disputes - international:

none

This page was last updated on 15 July, 2008

The World Factbook

Poland

Introduction Poland

Background:

Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland still faces the lingering challenges of high unemployment, underdeveloped and dilapidated infrastructure, and a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.

Geography Poland

Location:

Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates:

52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 312,679 sq km

land: 304,459 sq km

water: 8,220 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 3,071 km

border countries: Belarus 418 km, Czech Republic 796 km, Germany 467 km, Lithuania 104 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia 541 km, Ukraine 535 km

Coastline:

440 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: 40.25%

permanent crops: 1%

other: 58.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

63.1 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural):

total: 11.73 cu km/yr (13%/79%/8%)

per capita: 304 cu m/yr (2002)

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 EU 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

People Poland

Population:

38,500,696 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.2% (male 3,013,109/female 2,849,977)

15-64 years: 71.4% (male 13,681,481/female 13,808,412)

65 years and over: 13.4% (male 1,964,477/female 3,183,240) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.6 years

male: 35.8 years

female: 39.5 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.045% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

10.01 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

9.99 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.93 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.41 years

male: 71.42 years

female: 79.65 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.27 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

14,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

100 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Pole(s)

adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups:

Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Languages:

Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Poland

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Poland

conventional short form: Poland

local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska

local short form: Polska

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Warsaw

geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October