Total area: 312,680 km2
land area: 304,510 km2

Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries: 2,980 km total; Czechoslovakia 1,309 km, GDR 456 km, USSR 1,215 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims:

Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt

Land use: 46% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 13% meadows and pastures; 28% forest and woodland; 12% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment: plain crossed by a few north-flowing, meandering streams; severe air and water pollution in south

Note: historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

NOTE: The information regarding Poland on this page is re-published from the 1990 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Poland Geography 1990 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Poland Geography 1990 should be addressed to the CIA.