Poland vs. Lithuania
Introduction
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through the person of a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795 when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries. Lithuania regained its independence following World War I but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. In 2015, Lithuania joined the euro zone, and it joined the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2018. |
Geography
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Europe, east of Germany | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia, west of Belarus |
| Geographic coordinates | 52 00 N, 20 00 E | 56 00 N, 24 00 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 312,685 sq km land: 304,255 sq km water: 8,430 sq km | total: 65,300 sq km land: 62,680 sq km water: 2,620 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico | slightly larger than West Virginia |
| 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: 1,545 km border countries (4): Belarus 640 km, Latvia 544 km, Poland 100 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 261 km |
| Coastline | 440 km | 90 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties | territorial sea: 12 nm |
| Climate | temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers | transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers |
| Terrain | mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border | lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Rysy 2,499 m lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m mean elevation: 173 m | highest point: Aukstojas 294 m lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 110 m |
| Natural resources | coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land | peat, arable land, amber |
| 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: 44.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 34.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 9.4% (2018 est.) forest: 34.6% (2018 est.) other: 20.6% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 970 sq km (2012) | 44 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | flooding | occasional floods, droughts |
| 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 | water pollution; air pollution; deforestation; threatened animal and plant species; chemicals and waste materials released into the environment contaminate soil and groundwater; soil degradation and erosion |
| 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-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling 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 | fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits |
| Total renewable water resources | 60.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 24.5 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 | fairly even population distribution throughout the country, but somewhat greater concentrations in the southern cities of Vilnius and Kaunas, and the western port of Klaipeda |
Demographics
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,185,913 (July 2021 est.) | 2,711,566 (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: 15.26% (male 213,802/female 202,948) 15-24 years: 10.23% (male 144,679/female 134,822) 25-54 years: 38.96% (male 528,706/female 535,485) 55-64 years: 15.1% (male 183,854/female 228,585) 65 years and over: 20.45% (male 190,025/female 368,558) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 41.9 years male: 40.3 years female: 43.6 years (2020 est.) | total: 44.5 years male: 40.2 years female: 48.2 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | -0.23% (2021 est.) | -1.04% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 8.69 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.42 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 10.68 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 15.05 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -4.75 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: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.8 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 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: 3.66 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.17 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: 75.61 years male: 70.23 years female: 81.29 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.39 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.61 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | NA | 0.1% (2019 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish | noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian |
| 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 | Lithuanian 84.1%, Polish 6.6%, Russian 5.8%, Belarusian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.2% (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | NA | 3,400 (2019 est.) |
| 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.) | Roman Catholic 77.2%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Old Believer 0.8%, Evangelical Lutheran 0.6%, Evangelical Reformist 0.2%, other (including Sunni Muslim, Jewish, Greek Catholic, and Karaite) 0.8%, none 6.1%, unspecified 10.1% (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | NA | <100 (2019 est.) |
| 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. | Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other 0.9%, unspecified 3.5% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Pasaulio enciklopedija - naudingas bendrosios informacijos saltinis. (Lithuanian) 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: 99.8% (2015) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: intermediate (2016) vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2016) | degree of risk: intermediate (2020) vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2018) | total: 17 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2018) |
| Education expenditures | 4.6% of GDP (2017) | 3.8% 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: 68.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: -0.12% 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: 92.8% of population total: 97.5% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 7.2% of population total: 2.5% 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: 99.3% of population rural: 87.5% of population total: 95.5% of population unimproved: urban: 0.7% of population rural: 12.5% of population total: 4.5% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.790 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow (2021) | 540,000 VILNIUS (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Health expenditures | 6.3% (2018) | 6.6% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 2.38 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 6.35 physicians/1,000 population (2018) |
| Hospital bed density | 6.6 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 6.6 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 23.1% (2016) | 26.3% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 27.6 years (2019 est.) | 27.5 years (2019 est.) |
| 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: 56.5 youth dependency ratio: 24.2 elderly dependency ratio: 32.3 potential support ratio: 3.1 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Lithuania conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: meaning of the name "Lietuva" remains unclear; it may derive from the Lietava, a stream in east central Lithuania |
| Government type | parliamentary republic | semi-presidential 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 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: Vilnius geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: named after the Vilnia River, which flows into the Neris River at Vilnius; the river name derives from the Lithuanian word "vilnis" meaning "a surge" |
| 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) | 60 municipalities (savivaldybe, singular - savivaldybe); Akmene, Alytaus Miestas, Alytus, Anksciai, Birstono, Birzai, Druskininkai, Elektrenai, Ignalina, Jonava, Joniskis, Jurbarkas, Kaisiadorys, Kalvarijos, Kauno Miestas, Kaunas, Kazlu Rudos, Kedainiai, Kelme, Klaipedos Miestas, Klaipeda, Kretinga, Kupiskis, Lazdijai, Marijampole, Mazeikiai, Moletai, Neringa, Pagegiai, Pakruojis, Palangos Miestas, Panevezio Miestas, Panevezys, Pasvalys, Plunge, Prienai, Radviliskis, Raseiniai, Rietavo, Rokiskis, Sakiai, Salcininkai, Siauliu Miestas, Siauliai, Silale, Silute, Sirvintos, Skuodas, Svencionys, Taurage, Telsiai, Trakai, Ukmerge, Utena, Varena, Vilkaviskis, Vilniaus Miestas, Vilnius, Visaginas, Zarasai |
| 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) | 16 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia and Germany); 11 March 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 6 July 1253 (coronation of MINDAUGAS, traditional founding date); 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created) |
| National holiday | Constitution Day, 3 May (1791) | Independence Day (or National Day), 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania established its statehood and its concomitant independence from Soviet Russia and Germany; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared the restoration of Lithuanian statehood and its concomitant 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 adopted by referendum 25 October 1992, entered into force 2 November 1992 amendments: proposed by at least one fourth of all Parliament members or by petition of at least 300,000 voters; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of two readings three months apart and a presidential signature; amendments to constitutional articles on national sovereignty and constitutional amendment procedure also require three-fourths voter approval in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2019 |
| 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; legislative acts can be appealed to the Constitutional Court |
| 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 Gitanas NAUSEDA (since 12 July 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Ingrida SIMONYTE (since 24 November 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by Parliament 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 12 and 26 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024); prime minister appointed by the president, approved by Parliament election results: Gitanas NAUSEDA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Gitanas NAUSEDA (independent) 66.7%, Ingrida SIMONYTE (independent) 33.3%; Saulius SKVERNELIS (LVZS) approved as prime minister by Parliament vote - 62 to 10 |
| 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: unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote and 70 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 11 and 25 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TS-LKD 50, LVZS 32, LSDP 13, LRLS 13, Freedom 11, DP 10, AWPL 3, LSDDP 3, LT 1, Greens 1, independent 4; composition - men 103, women 38, percent of women 27% |
| 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 37 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Seimas; judges serve 5-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Seimas from nominations - 3 each by the president of the republic, the Seimas chairperson, and the Supreme Court president; judges serve 9-year, nonrenewable terms; one-third of membership reconstituted every 3 years subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; district and local 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] | Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASEVSKI] Farmers and Greens Union or LVZS [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS] Freedom Party or LP [Ausrine ARMONAITE] Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS-LKD [Gabrielius LANDSBERGIS] Labor Party or DP [Viktor USPASKICH] Lithuanian Center Party or LCP [Naglis PUTEIKIS] Lithuanian Green Party or LZP [Remigijus LAPINSKAS]] Lithuanian Liberal Movement or LS or LRLS [Viktorija CMILYTE] Lithuanian List or LL [Darius KUOLYS] Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP [Gintautas PALUCKAS] Lithuanian Social Democratic Labor Party or LSDDP [Gediminas KIRKILAS] Freedom and Justice Party or LT [Remigijus ZEMAITAITIS] |
| 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 | Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| 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 Audra PLEPYTE (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 email address and website: info@usa.mfa.lt https://usa.mfa.lt/usa/en/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, 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 Robert S. GILCHRIST (since 4 February 2020) embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106 mailing address: 4510 Vilnius Place, Washington DC 20521-4510 telephone: [370] (5) 266-5500 FAX: [370] (5) 266-5510 email address and website: consec@state.gov https://lt.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 | three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red; yellow symbolizes golden fields, as well as the sun, light, and goodness; green represents the forests of the countryside, in addition to nature, freedom, and hope; red stands for courage and the blood spilled in defense of the homeland |
| 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: "Tautiska giesme" (The National Song) lyrics/music: Vincas KUDIRKA note: adopted 1918, restored 1990; written in 1898 while Lithuania was a part of Russia; banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990 |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | white crowned eagle; national colors: white, red | mounted knight known as Vytis (the Chaser), white stork; national colors: yellow, green, red |
| 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 Lithuania dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years |
Economy
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | After the country declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, Lithuania faced an initial dislocation that is typical during transitions from a planned economy to a free-market economy. Macroeconomic stabilization policies, including privatization of most state-owned enterprises, and a strong commitment to a currency board arrangement led to an open and rapidly growing economy and rising consumer demand. Foreign investment and EU funding aided in the transition. Lithuania joined the WTO in May 2001, the EU in May 2004, and the euro zone in January 2015, and is now working to complete the OECD accession roadmap it received in July 2015. In 2017, joined the OECD Working Group on Bribery, an important step in the OECD accession process. The Lithuanian economy was severely hit by the 2008-09 global financial crisis, but it has rebounded and become one of the fastest growing in the EU. Increases in exports, investment, and wage growth that supported consumption helped the economy grow by 3.6% in 2017. In 2015, Russia was Lithuania's largest trading partner, followed by Poland, Germany, and Latvia; goods and services trade between the US and Lithuania totaled $2.2 billion. Lithuania opened a self-financed liquefied natural gas terminal in January 2015, providing the first non-Russian supply of natural gas to the Baltic States and reducing Lithuania's dependence on Russian gas from 100% to approximately 30% in 2016. Lithuania's ongoing recovery hinges on improving the business environment, especially by liberalizing labor laws, and improving competitiveness and export growth, the latter hampered by economic slowdowns in the EU and Russia. In addition, a steady outflow of young and highly educated people is causing a shortage of skilled labor, which, combined with a rapidly aging population, could stress public finances and constrain long-term growth. |
| 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 | $103.756 billion (2019 est.) $99.442 billion (2018 est.) $95.675 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.) | 4.33% (2019 est.) 3.99% (2018 est.) 4.37% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $33,221 (2019 est.) $31,775 (2018 est.) $30,160 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $37,231 (2019 est.) $35,496 (2018 est.) $33,827 (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: 3.5% (2017 est.) industry: 29.4% (2017 est.) services: 67.2% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 15.4% (2018 est.) | 20.6% (2018 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 23.9% (2015 est.) | lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 28.8% (2015) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (2019 est.) 1.7% (2018 est.) 2% (2017 est.) | 2.3% (2019 est.) 2.7% (2018 est.) 3.7% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 9.561 million (2020 est.) | 1.333 million (2020 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 11.5% industry: 30.4% services: 57.6% (2015) | agriculture: 9.1% industry: 25.2% services: 65.8% (2015 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 5.43% (2019 est.) 6.08% (2018 est.) | 8.4% (2019 est.) 8.5% (2018 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 29.7 (2017 est.) 33.7 (2008) | 37.3 (2017 est.) 35 (2014) |
| Budget | revenues: 207.5 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 216.2 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 15.92 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 15.7 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles | metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, televisions, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture, textiles, food processing, fertilizer, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, lasers, electronic components, computers, amber jewelry, information technology, video game development, app/software development, biotechnology |
| Industrial production growth rate | 7.5% (2017 est.) | 5.9% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | milk, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, triticale, maize, barley, apples, mixed grains, rye | wheat, milk, sugar beet, rapeseed, barley, triticale, potatoes, oats, peas, beans |
| Exports | $394.848 billion (2019 est.) $375.525 billion (2018 est.) $351.125 billion (2017 est.) | $45.358 billion (2019 est.) $41.433 billion (2018 est.) $38.763 billion (2017 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, seats, furniture, computers, video displays (2019) | refined petroleum, furniture, cigarettes, wheat, polyethylene (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Germany 27%, Czechia 6%, United Kingdom 6%, France 6%, Italy 5% (2019) | Russia 13%, Latvia 9%, Poland 8%, Germany 7%, Estonia 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $364.993 billion (2019 est.) $353.423 billion (2018 est.) $328.919 billion (2017 est.) | $43.733 billion (2019 est.) $41.131 billion (2018 est.) $38.745 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, office machinery/parts (2019) | crude petroleum, cars, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, electricity (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Germany 25%, China 10%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019) | Poland 12%, Russia 12%, Germany 12%, Latvia 7%, Netherlands 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $351.77 billion (2019 est.) $373.721 billion (2018 est.) | $37.859 billion (2019 est.) $41.999 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.) | litai (LTL) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.9012 (2014 est.) 0.7525 (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 | 39.7% of GDP (2017 est.) 40.1% of GDP (2016 est.) note: official data; 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, debt issued by 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 sold at public auctions |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $113.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $114.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $4.45 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $1.697 billion (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $2.92 billion (2019 est.) -$7.52 billion (2018 est.) | $1.817 billion (2019 est.) $131 million (2018 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $595.72 billion (2019 est.) | $54.597 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: A- (2007) Moody's rating: A2 (2002) Standard & Poors rating: A- (2018) | Fitch rating: A (2020) Moody's rating: A3 (2015) Standard & Poors rating: A+ (2020) |
| 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: 81.6 (2020) Starting a Business score: 93.3 (2020) Trading score: 97.8 (2020) Enforcement score: 78.8 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 39.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 33.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -1.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 9.9% male: 9.6% female: 10.3% (2019 est.) | total: 11.9% male: 14.1% female: 9.3% (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: 63.9% (2017 est.) government consumption: 16.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 18.8% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -1.3% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 81.6% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -79.3% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 20.1% of GDP (2019 est.) 19.4% of GDP (2018 est.) 19.5% of GDP (2017 est.) | 20.8% of GDP (2019 est.) 20.8% of GDP (2018 est.) 20% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 156.9 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 3.131 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 149.4 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 10.5 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 12.02 billion kWh (2016) | 730 million kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 14.02 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 11.11 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 21,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 2,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 493,100 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 182,900 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 4,451 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 1,002 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 126 million bbl (1 January 2018) | 12 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 79.79 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 0 cu m (2016 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 5.748 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 20.1 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 2.492 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.) | 2.492 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 38.11 million kW (2016 est.) | 3.71 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 79% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 73% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 4% 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.) | 23% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 554,200 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 196,500 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 649,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 58,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 104,800 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 174,800 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 222,300 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 42,490 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 6,824,896 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17.8 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 368,213 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13.3 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 48,392,944 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126.2 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 4,658,823 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 168.29 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .pl | .lt |
| Internet users | total: 29,791,401 percent of population: 77.54% (July 2018 est.) | total: 2,226,806 percent of population: 79.72% (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: Lithuania's small telecom market is among the most advanced in Europe, with universal access to LTE, extensive fiber footprint, and tests of 5G; operators focus on data speeds; improved international capability and better residential access; high SIM card penetration; increased demand for high-speed Internet for education, entertainment, and shopping during pandemic supporting growth in revenue through fiber lines; importer of broadcast equipment and video displays from neighboring EU countries (2021) (2020)domestic: 13 per 100 for fixed-line subscriptions; rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted in a steady decline in the number of fixed-line connections; mobile-cellular teledensity stands at about 169 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 370; landing points for the BCS East, BCS East-West Interlink and NordBalt connecting Lithuania to Sweden, and Latvia ; further transmission by satellite; landline connections to Latvia and Poland (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 |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 7,783,887 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20.3 (2019 est.) | total: 791,826 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28.6 (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) | public broadcaster operates 3 channels with the third channel - a satellite channel - introduced in 2007; various privately owned commercial TV broadcasters operate national and multiple regional channels; many privately owned local TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services available; publicly owned broadcaster operates 3 radio networks; many privately owned commercial broadcasters, with repeater stations in various regions throughout the country |
Transportation
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| 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: 1,768 km (2014) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) broad gauge: 1,746 km 1.520-m gauge (122 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: 84,166 km (2012) paved: 72,297 km (includes 312 km of expressways) (2012) unpaved: 11,869 km (2012) |
| Waterways | 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009) | 441 km (navigable year-round) (2007) |
| Pipelines | 14198 km gas, 1374 km oil, 2483 km refined products (2016) | 1921 km gas, 121 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) | major seaport(s): Klaipeda oil terminal(s): Butinge oil terminal LNG terminal(s) (import): Klaipeda |
| Merchant marine | total: 142 by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 7, other 129 (2020) | total: 61 by type: container ship 4, general cargo 23, oil tanker 2, other 32 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 126 (2013) | total: 61 (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: 22 (2017) over 3,047 m: 3 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2017) under 914 m: 9 (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: 39 (2013) over 3,047 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013) under 914 m: 36 (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: 3 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 50 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 26,031 (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | SP | LY |
Military
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Lithuanian Armed Forces (Lietuvos Ginkluotosios Pajegos): Land Forces (Sausumos Pajegos), Naval Forces (Karines Juru Pajegos), Air Forces (Karines Oro Pajegos), Special Operations Forces (Specialiuju Operaciju Pajegos); National Defense Volunteer Forces (Savanoriu Pajegos); National Riflemen's Union (paramilitary force that acts as an additional reserve force) (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) | 19-26 years of age for conscripted military service (males); 9-month service obligation; in 2015, Lithuania reinstated conscription after having converted to a professional military in 2008; 18-38 for voluntary service (male and female) (2019) |
| 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) | 2.13% of GDP (2020 est.) 2% of GDP (2019) 1.97% of GDP (2018) 1.71% of GDP (2017) 1.48% of GDP (2016) |
| Military - note | Poland joined NATO in 1999; Czechia, Hungary, and Poland were invited to begin accession talks at NATO's Madrid Summit in 1997, and in March 1999 they became the first former members of the Warsaw Pact to join the Alliance | Lithuania officially became a member of NATO in 2004 |
| 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 Lithuanian Armed Forces have approximately 16,000 active duty personnel (12,500 Army, including about 5,000 National Defense Voluntary Forces; 600 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 other, including special operations forces, logistics support, training, etc); est. 11,000 Riflemen Union (2021) |
| 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 Lithuanian Armed Forces' inventory is mostly a mix of Western weapons systems and Soviet-era equipment (primarily aircraft and helicopters); Germany and the UK are the leading suppliers of armaments to Lithuania since 2010 (2020) |
| 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 about 350-550 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 |
Transnational Issues
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation |
| 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 | transshipment and destination point for cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, and opiates from Southwest Asia, Latin America, Western Europe, and neighboring Baltic countries; growing production of high-quality amphetamines, but limited production of cannabis, methamphetamines; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking legislation |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 9,870 (Russia) (2019) stateless persons: 1,390 (2020) | stateless persons: 2,720 (2020) |
Environment
| Poland | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| 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: 11.49 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 12.96 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 3.15 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: 130.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 69.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 58.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.17% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.31% 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: 1.3 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 297,960 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 22.9% (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
