Poland vs. Belarus
Introduction
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Poland's history as a state began near the middle of the 10th century. 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 disorders weakened the nation, and in a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland among 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. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force with over 10 million members. Free elections in 1989 and 1990 won Solidarity control of the parliament and the presidency, bringing the communist era to a close. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed and with large investments in defense, energy, and other infrastructure, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations. | After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than have any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place and current negotiations on further integration have been contentious. Since his election in July 1994 as the country's first and only directly elected president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means and a centralized economic system. Government restrictions on political and civil freedoms, freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion have remained in place. |
Geography
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Europe, east of Germany | Eastern Europe, east of Poland |
| Geographic coordinates | 52 00 N, 20 00 E | 53 00 N, 28 00 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 312,685 sq km land: 304,255 sq km water: 8,430 sq km | total: 207,600 sq km land: 202,900 sq km water: 4,700 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico | slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; slightly smaller than Kansas |
| Land boundaries | total: 2,865 km border countries (7): Belarus 375 km, Czechia 699 km, Germany 467 km, Lithuania 100 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 209 km, Slovakia 517 km, Ukraine 498 km | total: 3,599 km border countries (5): Latvia 161 km, Lithuania 640 km, Poland 375 km, Russia 1312 km, Ukraine 1111 km |
| Coastline | 440 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers | cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime |
| Terrain | mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border | generally flat with much marshland |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Rysy 2,499 m lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m mean elevation: 173 m | highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m mean elevation: 160 m |
| Natural resources | coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land | timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay |
| Land use | agricultural land: 48.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 36.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 10.7% (2018 est.) forest: 30.6% (2018 est.) other: 21.2% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 43.7% (2018 est.) arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 15.9% (2018 est.) forest: 42.7% (2018 est.) other: 13.6% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 970 sq km (2012) | 1,140 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | flooding | large tracts of marshy land |
| Environment - current issues | decreased emphasis on heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-communist governments has improved environment; air pollution remains serious because of emissions from burning low-quality coals in homes and from coal-fired power plants; the resulting acid rain causes forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes | soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic- Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain | landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes |
| Total renewable water resources | 60.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 57.9 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | population concentrated in the southern area around Krakow and the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, with an extension to the northern coastal city of Gdansk | a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations |
Demographics
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,185,913 (July 2021 est.) | 9,441,842 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 14.83% (male 2,918,518/female 2,756,968) 15-24 years: 9.8% (male 1,928,637/female 1,823,894) 25-54 years: 43.33% (male 8,384,017/female 8,203,646) 55-64 years: 13.32% (male 2,424,638/female 2,675,351) 65 years and over: 18.72% (male 2,867,315/female 4,299,341) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 16.09% (male 784,231/female 740,373) 15-24 years: 9.59% (male 467,393/female 441,795) 25-54 years: 43.94% (male 2,058,648/female 2,105,910) 55-64 years: 14.45% (male 605,330/female 763,972) 65 years and over: 15.93% (male 493,055/female 1,017,211) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 41.9 years male: 40.3 years female: 43.6 years (2020 est.) | total: 40.9 years male: 38 years female: 43.9 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | -0.23% (2021 est.) | -0.29% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 8.69 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.32 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 10.68 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 12.96 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.79 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.53 years male: 74.76 years female: 82.51 years (2021 est.) | total population: 74.01 years male: 68.6 years female: 79.74 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.39 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.51 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | NA | 0.5% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish | noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian |
| Ethnic groups | Polish 96.9%, Silesian 1.1%, German 0.2%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.) note: represents ethnicity declared first | Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | NA | 28,000 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children |
| Religions | Catholic 85.9% (includes Roman Catholic 85.6% and Greek Catholic, Armenian Catholic, and Byzantine-Slavic Catholic .3%), Orthodox 1.3% (almost all are Polish Autocephalous Orthodox), Protestant 0.4% (mainly Augsburg Evangelical and Pentacostal), other 0.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness, Buddhist, Hare Krishna, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Muslim, Jewish, Mormon), unspecified 12.1% (2017 est.) | Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | NA | <200 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children |
| Languages | Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.3%; note - data represent the language spoken at home; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; Poland ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2009 recognizing Kashub as a regional language, Czech, Hebrew, Yiddish, Belarusian, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovak, and Ukrainian as national minority languages, and Karaim, Lemko, Romani (Polska Roma and Bergitka Roma), and Tatar as ethnic minority languages (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Ksiega Faktów Swiata, niezbedne zródlo podstawowych informacji. (Polish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | Russian (official) 70.2%, Belarusian (official) 23.4%, other 3.1% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 3.3% (2009 est.) major-language sample(s): ????? ?????? ? ???? - ??????????? ???????? ??????? ??????????. (Russian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.9% female: 99.7% (2015) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2018) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2018) | total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2018) |
| Education expenditures | 4.6% of GDP (2017) | 4.8% of GDP (2017) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 60.1% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: -0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 79.9% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 98.3% of population total: 99.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 1.7% of population total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 99.7% of population rural: 100% of population total: 99.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 99.8% of population rural: 97.9% of population total: 99.4% of population unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population rural: 2.1% of population total: 0.6% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.790 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow (2021) | 2.039 million MINSK (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Health expenditures | 6.3% (2018) | 5.6% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 2.38 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 5.19 physicians/1,000 population (2015) |
| Hospital bed density | 6.6 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 10.8 beds/1,000 population (2014) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 23.1% (2016) | 24.5% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 27.6 years (2019 est.) | 26.8 years (2019 est.) |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 62.3% (2014) | 71.2% (2017) note: percent of women aged 18-49 |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 51.4 youth dependency ratio: 23 elderly dependency ratio: 28.4 potential support ratio: 3.5 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 48.9 youth dependency ratio: 25.7 elderly dependency ratio: 23.2 potential support ratio: 4.3 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Poland conventional short form: Poland local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska local short form: Polska former: Polish People's Republic etymology: name derives from the Polanians, a west Slavic tribe that united several surrounding Slavic groups (9th-10th centuries A.D.) and who passed on their name to the country; the name of the tribe likely comes from the Slavic "pole" (field or plain), indicating the flat nature of their country | conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus'/Respublika Belarus' local short form: Byelarus'/Belarus' former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name is a compound of the Belarusian words "bel" (white) and "Rus" (the Old East Slavic ethnic designation) to form the meaning White Rusian or White Ruthenian |
| Government type | parliamentary republic | presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship |
| 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 etymology: the origin of the name is unknown; the Polish designation "Warszawa" was the name of a fishing village and several legends/traditions link the city's founding to a man named Wars or Warsz | name: Minsk geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the name is disputed; Minsk may originally have been located 16 km to the southwest, on the banks of Menka River; remnants of a 10th-century settlement on the banks of the Menka have been found |
| Administrative divisions | 16 voivodships [provinces] (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie (Lodz), Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie (Opole), Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie (Holy Cross), Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania) | 6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel' (Gomel'), Horad Minsk* (Minsk City), Hrodna (Grodno), Mahilyow (Mogilev), Minsk, Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; Russian spelling provided for reference when different from Belarusian |
| Independence | 11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 14 April 966 (adoption of Christianity, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created) | 25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
| National holiday | Constitution Day, 3 May (1791) | Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997 amendments: proposed by at least one fifth of Sejm deputies, by the Senate, or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in the Sejm and absolute majority vote in the Senate; amendments to articles relating to sovereignty, personal freedoms, and constitutional amendment procedures also require passage by majority vote in a referendum; amended 2006, 2009 | history: several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic through petition to the National Assembly or by petition of least 150,000 eligible voters; approval required by at least two-thirds majority vote in both chambers or by simple majority of votes cast in a referendum; amended 1996, 2004 |
| Legal system | civil law system; judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final | civil law system; note - nearly all major codes (civil, civil procedure, criminal, criminal procedure, family, and labor) were revised and came into force in 1999 and 2000 |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Andrzej DUDA (since 6 August 2015) head of government: Prime Minister Mateusz MORAWIECKI (since 11 December 2017); Deputy Prime Ministers Piotr GLINSKI and Jaroslaw GOWIN (since 16 November 2015), Jacek SASIN (since 4 June 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by the Sejm elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 June 2020 with a second round on 12 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister, deputy prime ministers, and Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm election results: Andrzej DUDA reelected president in runoff; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49% | chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Roman GOLOVCHENKO (since 4 June 2020); First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai SNOPKOV (since 4 June 2020); Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir KUKHAREV, Igor PETRISHENKO (since 18 August 2018), Yury NAZAROV (since 3 March 2020), Aleksander Subbotin (since 4 June 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); first election took place on 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999; however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held on 9 September 2001; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed the president to run and win in a third (19 March 2006), fourth (19 December 2010), fifth (11 October 2015), and sixth (9 August 2020); next election in 2025; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (independent) 80.2%, Sviatana TSIKHANOUSKAYA (independent) 9.9%, other 9.9%; note - widespread street protests erupted following announcement of the election results amid allegations of voter fraud |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral legislature consists of: Senate or Senat (100 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) Sejm (460 seats; members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote with 5% threshold of total votes needed for parties and 8% for coalitions to gain seats; minorities exempt from threshold; members serve 4-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023) Sejm - last held on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PiS 48, KO 43, PSL 3, SLD 2, independent 4; composition - men 87, women 13, percent of women 13% Sejm - percent of vote by party - PiS 43.6%, KO 27.4%, SLD 12.6%, PSL 8.5% Confederation 6.8%, other 1.1%; seats by party - PiS 235, KO 134, SLD 49, PSL 30, KWiN 11, MN 1; men 334, women 126, percent of women 27.4%; note - total legislature percent of women 24.8% note: the designation National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the 2 houses meet jointly | description: bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobraniye consists of: Council of the Republic or Sovet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members indirectly elected by regional and Minsk city councils and 8 members appointed by the president; members serve 4-year terms) House of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms) elections: Council of the Republic - indirect election last held on 7 November 2019 House of Representatives - last held on 17 November 2019 (next to be held in 2023); OSCE observers determined that the election was neither free nor impartial and that vote counting was problematic in a number of polling stations; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat; international observers determined that the previous elections, on 28 September 2008, 23 September 2012, and 11 September 2016 also fell short of democratic standards, with pro-LUKASHENKO candidates winning every, or virtually every, seat election results: Council of the Republic - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KPB 11, Republican Party of Labor and Justice 6, Belarusian Patriotic Party 2, LDP 1, AP 1, independent 89; composition - men 66, women 44, percent of women 40%; note - total National Assembly percent of women - NA note: the US does not recognize the legitimacy of the National Assembly |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Sad Najwyzszy (consists of the first president of the Supreme Court and 120 justices organized in criminal, civil, labor and social insurance, and extraordinary appeals and public affairs and disciplinary chambers); Constitutional Tribunal (consists of 15 judges, including the court president and vice president) judge selection and term of office: president of the Supreme Court nominated by the General Assembly of the Supreme Court and selected by the president of Poland; other judges nominated by the 25-member National Judicial Council and appointed by the president of Poland; judges serve until retirement, usually at age 65, but tenure can be extended; Constitutional Tribunal judges chosen by the Sejm for 9-year terms subordinate courts: administrative courts; military courts; local, regional and appellate courts subdivided into military, civil, criminal, labor, and family courts | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chairman and deputy chairman and organized into several specialized panels, including economic and military; number of judges set by the president of the republic and the court chairman); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 judges, including a chairman and deputy chairman) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Council of the Republic; judges initially appointed for 5 years and evaluated for life appointment; Constitutional Court judges - 6 appointed by the president and 6 elected by the Council of the Republic; the presiding judge directly elected by the president and approved by the Council of the Republic; judges can serve for 11 years with an age limit of 70 subordinate courts: oblast courts; Minsk City Court; town courts; Minsk city and oblast economic courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Civic Coalition or KO [Grzegorz SCHETYNA] Confederation Liberty and Independence or KWiN [Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE, Robert WINNICKI, Grzegorz BRAUN] Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wlodzimierz CZARZASTY] German Minority or MN [Ryszard GALLA] Kukiz 15 or K15 [Pawel KUKIZ] Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI] TERAZ! (NOW!) [Ryszard PETRU] Nowoczesna (Modern) or N [Katarzyna LUBNAUER] Polish People's Party or PSL [Wladyslaw KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ] Razem (Together) [collective leadership] Wiosna (Spring) [Robert BIEDRON] | pro-government parties: Belarusian Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY] Belarusian Patriotic Party [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH] Belarusian Social Sport Party [Vladimir ALEKSANDROVICH] Communist Party of Belarus or KPB [Aleksei SOKOL] Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH] Republican Party [Vladimir BELOZOR] Republican Party of Labor and Justice [Vasiliy ZADNEPRYANIY] Social Democratic Party of Popular Accord [Sergei YERMAK] opposition parties: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party [Paval SEVIARYNETS, Volha KAVALKOVA, Vital RYMASHEWSKI] (unregistered) Belarusian Party of the Green [Anastasiya DOROFEYEVA] Belarusian Party of the Left "Just World" [Sergey KALYAKIN] Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Ryhor KASTUSEU] Belarusian Social-Democratic Assembly [Sergei CHERECHEN] Belarusian Social Democratic Party ("Assembly") or BSDPH [Ihar BARYSAU] Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People's Assembly) [Mikalay STATKEVICH] (unregistered) Christian Conservative Party or BPF [Zyanon PAZNYAK] United Civic Party or UCP [Nikolay KOZLOV] |
| International organization participation | Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Piotr Antoni WILCZEK (since 18 January 2017) chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 499-1700 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2152 email address and website: washington.amb.sekretariat@msz.gov.pl https://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/embassy-washington consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Charge d'Affaires Dmitry BASIK (since 9 July 2019) chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-1606 FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805 email address and website: usa@mfa.gov.by consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires B. Bix ALIU (since January 2021) embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, 00-540 Warsaw mailing address: 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000 FAX: [48] (22) 504-2088 email address and website: acswarsaw@state.gov https://pl.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Krakow | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant; left in 2008 upon insistence of Belarusian Government); Charge d'Affaires Jeffrey GIAUQUE (since July 2020) embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002 mailing address: 7010 Minsk Place, Washington DC 20521-7010 telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83/217-73-47/217-73-48 FAX: [375] (17) 334-78-53 email address and website: ConsularMinsk@state.gov https://by.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; colors derive from the Polish emblem - a white eagle on a red field note: similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white | red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red; the red band color recalls past struggles from oppression, the green band represents hope and the many forests of the country |
| National anthem | name: "Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka) lyrics/music: Jozef WYBICKI/traditional note: adopted 1927; the anthem, commonly known as "Jeszcze Polska nie zginela" (Poland Has Not Yet Perished), was written in 1797; the lyrics resonate strongly with Poles because they reflect the numerous occasions in which the nation's lands have been occupied | name: "My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians) lyrics/music: Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI note: music adopted 1955, lyrics adopted 2002; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Belarus kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem but adopted new lyrics; also known as "Dziarzauny himn Respubliki Bielarus" (State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus) |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | white crowned eagle; national colors: white, red | no clearly defined current national symbol, the mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser) is the traditional Belarusian symbol; national colors: green, red, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Poland dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belarus dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years |
Economy
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Poland has the sixth-largest economy in the EU and has long had a reputation as a business-friendly country with largely sound macroeconomic policies. Since 1990, Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization. During the 2008-09 economic slowdown Poland was the only EU country to avoid a recession, in part because of the government's loose fiscal policy combined with a commitment to rein in spending in the medium-term Poland is the largest recipient of EU development funds and their cyclical allocation can significantly impact the rate of economic growth. The Polish economy performed well during the 2014-17 period, with the real GDP growth rate generally exceeding 3%, in part because of increases in government social spending that have helped to accelerate consumer-driven growth. However, since 2015, Poland has implemented new business restrictions and taxes on foreign-dominated economic sectors, including banking and insurance, energy, and healthcare, that have dampened investor sentiment and has increased the government's ownership of some firms. The government reduced the retirement age in 2016 and has had mixed success in introducing new taxes and boosting tax compliance to offset the increased costs of social spending programs and relieve upward pressure on the budget deficit. Some credit ratings agencies estimate that Poland during the next few years is at risk of exceeding the EU's 3%-of-GDP limit on budget deficits, possibly impacting its access to future EU funds. Poland's economy is projected to perform well in the next few years in part because of an anticipated cyclical increase in the use of its EU development funds and continued, robust household spending. Poland faces several systemic challenges, which include addressing some of the remaining deficiencies in its road and rail infrastructure, business environment, rigid labor code, commercial court system, government red tape, and burdensome tax system, especially for entrepreneurs. Additional long-term challenges include diversifying Poland's energy mix, strengthening investments in innovation, research, and development, as well as stemming the outflow of educated young Poles to other EU member states, especially in light of a coming demographic contraction due to emigration, persistently low fertility rates, and the aging of the Solidarity-era baby boom generation. | As part of the former Soviet Union, Belarus had a relatively well-developed industrial base, but it is now outdated, inefficient, and dependent on subsidized Russian energy and preferential access to Russian markets. The country's agricultural base is largely dependent on government subsidies. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, an initial burst of economic reforms included privatization of state enterprises, creation of private property rights, and the acceptance of private entrepreneurship, but by 1994 the reform effort dissipated. About 80% of industry remains in state hands, and foreign investment has virtually disappeared. Several businesses have been renationalized. State-owned entities account for 70-75% of GDP, and state banks make up 75% of the banking sector. Economic output declined for several years following the break-up of the Soviet Union, but revived in the mid-2000s. Belarus has only small reserves of crude oil and imports crude oil and natural gas from Russia at subsidized, below market, prices. Belarus derives export revenue by refining Russian crude and selling it at market prices. Russia and Belarus have had serious disagreements over prices and quantities for Russian energy. Beginning in early 2016, Russia claimed Belarus began accumulating debt - reaching $740 million by April 2017 - for paying below the agreed price for Russian natural gas and Russia cut back its export of crude oil as a result of the debt. In April 2017, Belarus agreed to pay its gas debt and Russia restored the flow of crude. New non-Russian foreign investment has been limited in recent years, largely because of an unfavorable financial climate. In 2011, a financial crisis lead to a nearly three-fold devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. The Belarusian economy has continued to struggle under the weight of high external debt servicing payments and a trade deficit. In mid-December 2014, the devaluation of the Russian ruble triggered a near 40% devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. Belarus's economy stagnated between 2012 and 2016, widening productivity and income gaps between Belarus and neighboring countries. Budget revenues dropped because of falling global prices on key Belarusian export commodities. Since 2015, the Belarusian government has tightened its macro-economic policies, allowed more flexibility to its exchange rate, taken some steps towards price liberalization, and reduced subsidized government lending to state-owned enterprises. Belarus returned to modest growth in 2017, largely driven by improvement of external conditions and Belarus issued sovereign debt for the first time since 2011, which provided the country with badly-needed liquidity, and issued $600 million worth of Eurobonds in February 2018, predominantly to US and British investors. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $1,261,433,000,000 (2019 est.) $1,206,640,000,000 (2018 est.) $1,145,323,000,000 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $181.286 billion (2019 est.) $179.098 billion (2018 est.) $173.63 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.55% (2019 est.) 5.36% (2018 est.) 4.83% (2017 est.) | 1.22% (2019 est.) 3.17% (2018 est.) 2.53% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $33,221 (2019 est.) $31,775 (2018 est.) $30,160 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $19,150 (2019 est.) $18,885 (2018 est.) $18,280 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.4% (2017 est.) industry: 40.2% (2017 est.) services: 57.4% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 8.1% (2017 est.) industry: 40.8% (2017 est.) services: 51.1% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 15.4% (2018 est.) | 5% (2019 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 23.9% (2015 est.) | lowest 10%: 3.8% highest 10%: 21.9% (2008) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (2019 est.) 1.7% (2018 est.) 2% (2017 est.) | 5.6% (2019 est.) 4.8% (2018 est.) 6% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 9.561 million (2020 est.) | 4.381 million (2016 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 11.5% industry: 30.4% services: 57.6% (2015) | agriculture: 9.7% industry: 23.4% services: 66.8% (2015 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 5.43% (2019 est.) 6.08% (2018 est.) | 0.8% (2017 est.) 1% (2016 est.) note: official registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 29.7 (2017 est.) 33.7 (2008) | 25.2 (2018 est.) 21.7 (1998) |
| Budget | revenues: 207.5 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 216.2 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 22.15 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 20.57 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles | metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances |
| Industrial production growth rate | 7.5% (2017 est.) | 5.6% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | milk, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, triticale, maize, barley, apples, mixed grains, rye | milk, potatoes, sugar beet, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rye, rapeseed, poultry |
| Exports | $394.848 billion (2019 est.) $375.525 billion (2018 est.) $351.125 billion (2017 est.) | $28.65 billion (2017 est.) $22.98 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, seats, furniture, computers, video displays (2019) | refined petroleum, fertilizers, cheese, delivery trucks, crude petroleum (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Germany 27%, Czechia 6%, United Kingdom 6%, France 6%, Italy 5% (2019) | Russia 42%, Ukraine 13%, United Kingdom 7% (2019) |
| Imports | $364.993 billion (2019 est.) $353.423 billion (2018 est.) $328.919 billion (2017 est.) | $31.58 billion (2017 est.) $25.61 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, office machinery/parts (2019) | crude petroleum, natural gas, cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Germany 25%, China 10%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019) | Russia 57%, China 7%, Poland 5%, Germany 5%, Ukraine 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $351.77 billion (2019 est.) $373.721 billion (2018 est.) | $39.847 billion (2019 est.) $39.297 billion (2018 est.) |
| Exchange rates | zlotych (PLN) per US dollar - 3.6684 (2020 est.) 3.8697 (2019 est.) 3.76615 (2018 est.) 3.7721 (2014 est.) 3.1538 (2013 est.) | Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 1.9 (2017 est.) 2 (2016 est.) 2 (2015 est.) 15,926 (2014 est.) 10,224.1 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 50.6% of GDP (2017 est.) 54.2% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, the data include subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions | 53.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 53.5% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $113.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $114.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $7.315 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $4.927 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $2.92 billion (2019 est.) -$7.52 billion (2018 est.) | -$931 million (2017 est.) -$1.669 billion (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $595.72 billion (2019 est.) | $63.168 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: A- (2007) Moody's rating: A2 (2002) Standard & Poors rating: A- (2018) | Fitch rating: B (2018) Moody's rating: B3 (2018) Standard & Poors rating: B (2017) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 76.4 (2020) Starting a Business score: 82.9 (2020) Trading score: 100 (2020) Enforcement score: 64.4 (2020) | Overall score: 74.3 (2020) Starting a Business score: 93.5 (2020) Trading score: 96.5 (2020) Enforcement score: 67.6 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 39.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 40.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -1.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 9.9% male: 9.6% female: 10.3% (2019 est.) | total: 10.2% male: 12.9% female: 7.3% (2019 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 58.6% (2017 est.) government consumption: 17.7% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.7% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 2% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 54% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -49.9% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 54.8% (2017 est.) government consumption: 14.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.9% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 5.7% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 67% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -67% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 20.1% of GDP (2019 est.) 19.4% of GDP (2018 est.) 19.5% of GDP (2017 est.) | 27.8% of GDP (2019 est.) 29.2% of GDP (2018 est.) 28% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 156.9 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 31.58 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 149.4 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 31.72 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 12.02 billion kWh (2016) | 3.482 billion kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 14.02 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 6.319 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 21,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 31,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 493,100 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 468,400 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 4,451 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 31,730 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 126 million bbl (1 January 2018) | 198 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 79.79 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 5.748 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 59.46 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 20.1 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 17.7 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 1.246 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 15.72 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 17.53 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 38.11 million kW (2016 est.) | 10.04 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 79% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 96% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 554,200 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 477,200 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 649,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 141,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 104,800 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 351,200 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 222,300 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 14,630 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 6,824,896 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17.8 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 4,451,144 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46.88 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 48,392,944 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126.2 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 11,627,249 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 122.46 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .pl | .by |
| Internet users | total: 29,791,401 percent of population: 77.54% (July 2018 est.) | total: 7,539,145 percent of population: 79.13% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: liberalized telecom market supported by market competition in broadband and mobile sectors ensuring access to cable and fiber infrastructure; rapid extension of LTE networks and development of mobile data service; mobile penetration is above European average; fixed broadband benefits from DSL infrastructure and investment in fiber through EU support; major importer of broadcasting equipment and accessories from Germany (2021) (2020)domestic: several nation-wide networks provide mobile-cellular service; coverage is generally good; fixed-line 18 per 100 service lags in rural areas, mobile-cellular 138 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 48; landing points for the Baltica and the Denmark-Poland2 submarine cables connecting Poland, Denmark and Sweden; international direct dialing with automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: government owns and administers backbone network and much of telecom market with no independent regulator; government and telecom regulator are concluding three major programs aimed at developing the telecom sector and digital economy to enable 5G services and extension of fiber infrastructure; growing applications for smart cities; developing mobile broadband and data services to rural areas; commercial LTE services extended to 80% of the population; operators provide standalone 5G service and NB-IoT services; international connection through fiber optic and terrestrial link, nascent satellite system; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line teledensity is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved, 48 per 100 fixed-line; mobile-cellular teledensity now approaches 123 telephones per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 375; Belarus is landlocked and therefore a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations; almost 31,000 base stations in service in 2019 (2020) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 7,783,887 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20.3 (2019 est.) | total: 3,214,869 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33.86 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | state-run public TV operates 2 national channels supplemented by 16 regional channels and several niche channels; privately owned entities operate several national TV networks and a number of special interest channels; many privately owned channels broadcasting locally; roughly half of all households are linked to either satellite or cable TV systems providing access to foreign television networks; state-run public radio operates 5 national networks and 17 regional radio stations; 2 privately owned national radio networks, several commercial stations broadcasting to multiple cities, and many privately owned local radio stations (2019) | 7 state-controlled national TV channels; Polish and Russian TV broadcasts are available in some areas; state-run Belarusian Radio operates 5 national networks and an external service; Russian and Polish radio broadcasts are available (2019) |
Transportation
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 19,231 km (2016) standard gauge: 18,836 km 1.435-m gauge (11,874 km electrified) (2016) broad gauge: 395 km 1.524-m gauge (2016) | total: 5,528 km (2014) standard gauge: 25 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) broad gauge: 5,503 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified) (2014) |
| Roadways | total: 420,000 km (2016) paved: 291,000 km (includes 1,492 km of expressways, 1,559 of motorways) (2016) unpaved: 129,000 km (2016) | total: 86,600 km (2017) |
| Waterways | 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009) | 2,500 km (major rivers are the west-flowing Western Dvina and Neman Rivers and the south-flowing Dnepr River and its tributaries, the Berezina, Sozh, and Pripyat Rivers) (2011) |
| Pipelines | 14198 km gas, 1374 km oil, 2483 km refined products (2016) | 5386 km gas, 1589 km oil, 1730 km refined products (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie container port(s) (TEUs): Gdansk (2,073,215) (2019) LNG terminal(s) (import): Swinoujscie river port(s): Szczecin (River Oder) | river port(s): Mazyr (Prypyats') |
| Merchant marine | total: 142 by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 7, other 129 (2020) | total: 4 by type: other 4 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 126 (2013) | total: 65 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 87 (2017) over 3,047 m: 5 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 36 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 10 (2017) under 914 m: 6 (2017) | total: 33 (2017) over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017) under 914 m: 7 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 39 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 17 (2013) under 914 m: 21 (2013) | total: 32 (2013) over 3,047 m: 1 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013) under 914 m: 28 (2013) |
| Heliports | 6 (2013) | 1 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 169 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 9,277,538 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 271.49 million mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 30 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,760,168 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1.9 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | SP | EW |
Military
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Polish Armed Forces: Land Forces (Wojska Ladowe), Navy (Marynarka Wojenna), Air Force (Sily Powietrzne), Special Forces (Wojska Specjalne), Territorial Defense Force (Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej); Ministry of the Interior: Border Guard (includes coast guard duties) (2021) note: the Polish Armed Forces are organized into a General Staff, an Armed Forces General Command, an Armed Forces Operational Command, Territorial Defense Forces, Military Police, and the Warsaw Garrison Command | Belarus Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force, Special Troops (electronic warfare, signals, engineers, biological/chemical/nuclear protection troops, etc); Ministry of Interior: State Border Troops, Militia, Internal Troops (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription phased out in 2009-12; professional soldiers serve on a permanent basis (for an unspecified period of time) or on a contract basis (for a specified period of time); initial contract period is 24 months; women serve in the military on the same terms as men (2019) | 18-27 years of age for compulsory military or alternative service; conscript service obligation is 12-18 months, depending on academic qualifications, and 24-36 months for alternative service, depending on academic qualifications; 17 year olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2020) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.31% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.98% of GDP (2019) 2.02% of GDP (2018) 1.89% of GDP (2017) | 1.2% of GDP (2019) 1.2% of GDP (2018) 1.2% of GDP (2017) 1.3% of GDP (2016) 1.3% of GDP (2015) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | approximately 120,000 total active duty personnel (60,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force; 3,500 Special Forces; 25,000 Territorial Defense Forces; 7,500 joint service) (2020) note - in June 2019, the Polish Government approved a plan to increase the size of the military by 50,000 troops over the coming decade | the Belarus Armed Forces have approximately 45,000 active duty troops; information on the individual services varies, but probably includes about 25,000 Army, 15,000 Air/Air Defense, and 5,000 Special Operations forces (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the inventory of the Polish Armed Forces consists of a mix of Soviet-era and more modern Western weapons systems; since 2010, the leading suppliers of armaments to Poland are Finland, Germany, Italy, and the US (2020) | the inventory of the Belarus Armed Forces is comprised of Russian-origin equipment; Belarus's defense industry manufactures some equipment, including vehicles, guided weapons, and electronic warfare systems (2021) |
| Military deployments | 240 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 175 Latvia (NATO); 250 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (June 2021) note: Poland contributes about 2,500 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Warsaw and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units | contributes forces to CSTO's Rapid Reaction Force (2020) |
Transnational Issues
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine | boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its border with Belarus |
| Illicit drugs | despite diligent counternarcotics measures and international information sharing on cross-border crimes, a major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe | limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly regulated financial center; anti-money-laundering legislation does not meet international standards and was weakened further when know-your-customer requirements were curtailed in 2008; few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 9,870 (Russia) (2019) stateless persons: 1,390 (2020) | stateless persons: 6,296 (2020) |
Environment
| Poland | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 20.54 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 299.04 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 46.62 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 18.06 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 58.28 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 17.19 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 2.028 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 7.035 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 1.018 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 523 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 443 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 431 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.17% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 1.02% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0.27% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 10.863 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 2,866,746 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 26.4% (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.28 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 684,800 tons (2016 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16% (2016 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
