Poland vs. Slovakia
Introduction
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Slovakia traces its roots to the 9th century state of Great Moravia. Subsequently, the Slovaks became part of the Hungarian Kingdom, where they remained for the next 1,000 years. After the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867, backlash to language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (Magyarization) encouraged the strengthening of Slovak nationalism and a cultivation of cultural ties with the closely related Czechs, who fell administratively under the Austrian half of the empire. After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I, the Slovaks joined the Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. The new state was envisioned as a nation with Czech and Slovak branches. During the interwar period, Slovak nationalist leaders pushed for autonomy within Czechoslovakia, and in 1939 Slovakia became an independent state created by and allied with Nazi Germany. Following World War II, Czechoslovakia was reconstituted and came under communist rule within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of Czechoslovakia's leaders to liberalize communist rule and create "socialism with a human face," ushering in a period of repression known as "normalization." The peaceful "Velvet Revolution" swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia underwent a nonviolent "velvet divorce" into its two national components, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro zone on 1 January 2009. |
Geography
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Europe, east of Germany | Central Europe, south of Poland |
| Geographic coordinates | 52 00 N, 20 00 E | 48 40 N, 19 30 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 312,685 sq km land: 304,255 sq km water: 8,430 sq km | total: 49,035 sq km land: 48,105 sq km water: 930 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico | about one and a half times the size of Maryland; about twice the size of New Hampshire |
| 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: 1,587 km border countries (5): Austria 105 km, Czechia 241 km, Hungary 627 km, Poland 517 km, Ukraine 97 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 | temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters |
| Terrain | mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border | rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Rysy 2,499 m lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m mean elevation: 173 m | highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m mean elevation: 458 m |
| Natural resources | coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land | lignite, small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land |
| 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: 40.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 28.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 10.8% (2018 est.) forest: 40.2% (2018 est.) other: 19.7% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 970 sq km (2012) | 869 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | flooding | flooding |
| 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 | air pollution and acid rain present human health risks and damage forests; land erosion caused by agricultural and mining practices; water pollution |
| 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, 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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protection |
| Geography - note | historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain | landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys |
| Total renewable water resources | 60.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 50.1 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; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border |
Demographics
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,185,913 (July 2021 est.) | 5,436,066 (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: 15.13% (male 423,180/female 400,128) 15-24 years: 10.06% (male 280,284/female 266,838) 25-54 years: 44.61% (male 1,228,462/female 1,198,747) 55-64 years: 13.15% (male 342,124/female 373,452) 65 years and over: 17.05% (male 366,267/female 561,120) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 41.9 years male: 40.3 years female: 43.6 years (2020 est.) | total: 41.8 years male: 40.1 years female: 43.6 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | -0.23% (2021 est.) | -0.08% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 8.69 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.1 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 10.68 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 10.08 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 0.2 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: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 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: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.2 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: 78.07 years male: 74.56 years female: 81.82 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.39 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.45 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | NA | <.1% (2018 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish | noun: Slovak(s) adjective: Slovak |
| 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 | Slovak 80.7%, Hungarian 8.5%, Romani 2%, other 1.8% (includes Czech, Ruthenian, Ukrainian, Russian, German, Polish), unspecified 7% (2011 est.) note: data represent population by nationality; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 7-11% of Slovakia's population |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | NA | 1,200 (2018 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 62%, Protestant 8.2%, Greek Catholic 3.8%, other or unspecified 12.5%, none 13.4% (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | NA | <100 (2018 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. | Slovak (official) 78.6%, Hungarian 9.4%, Roma 2.3%, Ruthenian 1%, other or unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Svetova Kniha Faktov, nenahraditelny zdroj zakladnej informacie. (Slovak) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2018) | total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2018) |
| Education expenditures | 4.6% of GDP (2017) | 3.9% 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: 53.8% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.17% 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: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% 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: 99.9% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.790 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow (2021) | 437,000 BRATISLAVA (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) | 6.7% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 2.38 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 3.42 physicians/1,000 population (2017) |
| Hospital bed density | 6.6 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 5.8 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 23.1% (2016) | 20.5% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 27.6 years (2019 est.) | 27.2 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: 47.6 youth dependency ratio: 23 elderly dependency ratio: 24.6 potential support ratio: 4.1 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| 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: Slovak Republic conventional short form: Slovakia local long form: Slovenska republika local short form: Slovensko etymology: may derive from the medieval Latin word "Slavus" (Slav), which had the local form "Sloven", used since the 13th century to refer to the territory of Slovakia and its inhabitants |
| Government type | parliamentary republic | parliamentary 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: Bratislava geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 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 name was adopted in 1919 after Czechoslovakia gained its independence and may derive from later transliterations of the 9th century military commander, Braslav, or the 11th century Bohemian Duke Bretislav I; alternatively, the name may derive from the Slovak words "brat" (brother) and "slava" (glory) |
| 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) | 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banska Bystrica, Bratislava, Kosice, Nitra, Presov, Trencin, Trnava, Zilina |
| 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) | 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) |
| National holiday | Constitution Day, 3 May (1791) | Constitution Day, 1 September (1992) |
| 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 (preindependence); latest passed by the National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992 amendments: proposed by the National Council; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of Council members; amended many times, last in 2020 |
| 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 based on Austro-Hungarian codes; note - legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe |
| 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 Zuzana CAPUTOVA (since 15 June 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Eduard HEGER (since 1 April 2021); Deputy Prime Ministers Stefan HOLY, Veronika REMISOVA, Richard SULIK (all since 21 March 2020) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister 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 16 March and 30 March 2019 (next to be held March 2024); following National Council elections (every 4 years), the president designates a prime minister candidate, usually the leader of the party or coalition that wins the most votes, who must win a vote of confidence in the National Council election results: Zuzana CAPUTOVA reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Zuzana CAPUTOVA (PS) 58.4%, Maros SEFCOVIC (independent) 41.6% |
| 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 National Council or Narodna Rada (150 seats; members directly elected in a single- and multi-seat constituencies by closed, party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 29 February 2020 (next to be held March 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - OLaNO-NOVA 25%, Smer-SD 18.3%, Sme-Rodina 8.2%, LSNS 8%, PS-SPOLU 7%, SaS 6.2%, Za Ludi 5.8%, other 21.5%; seats by party - OLaNO-NOVA 53, Smer-SD 38, Sme-Rodina 17, LSNS 17, SaS 13, Za Ludi 12, PS-SPOLU 0; composition - men 120, women 30, percent of women 20% |
| 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 of the Slovak Republic (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 80 judges organized into criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative divisions with 3- and 5-judge panels); Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of 13 judges organized into 3-judge panels) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge candidates nominated by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, an 18-member self-governing body that includes the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential, governmental, parliamentary, and judiciary appointees; judges appointed by the president serve for life subject to removal by the president at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges serve 12-year terms subordinate courts: regional and district civil courts; Special Criminal Court; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit; |
| 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] | Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Alojz HLINA] Bridge or Most-Hid [Bela BUGAR] Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO] For the People or Za Ludi [Andrej KISKA] Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK] Kotleba-People's Party Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA] Ordinary People and Independent Personalities - New Majority or OLaNO-NOVA [Igor MATOVIC] Party of the Hungarian Community or SMK [Jozsef MENYHART] Progressive Slovakia or PS [Michal TRUBAN] Slovak National Party or SNS [Andrej DANKO] Together or SPOLU [Miroslav BEBLAVY] We Are Family or Sme-Rodina [Boris KOLLAR] |
| 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, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, 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 Radovan JAVORCIK (since 18 January 2021) chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054 FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438 email address and website: emb.washington@mzv.sk https://www.mzv.sk/web/washington-en consulate(s) general: 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 Bridget A. BRINK (since 20 August 2019) embassy: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava mailing address: 5840 Bratislava Place, Washington DC 20521-5840 telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338 FAX: [421] (2) 5441-8861 email address and website: consulbratislava@state.gov https://sk.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 white (top), blue, and red derive from the Pan-Slav colors; the Slovakian coat of arms (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius surmounting three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset slightly to the hoist side note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia |
| 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: "Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Lightning Over the Tatras) lyrics/music: Janko MATUSKA/traditional note: adopted 1993, in use since 1844; music based on the Slovak folk song "Kopala studienku" |
| 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 | double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) surmounting three peaks; national colors: white, blue, 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 Slovakia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Slovakia's economy suffered from a slow start in the first years after its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993, due to the country's authoritarian leadership and high levels of corruption, but economic reforms implemented after 1998 have placed Slovakia on a path of strong growth. With a population of 5.4 million, the Slovak Republic has a small, open economy driven mainly by automobile and electronics exports, which account for more than 80% of GDP. Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and the euro zone in 2009. The country's banking sector is sound and predominantly foreign owned. Slovakia has been a regional FDI champion for several years, attractive due to a relatively low-cost yet skilled labor force, and a favorable geographic location in the heart of Central Europe. Exports and investment have been key drivers of Slovakia's robust growth in recent years. The unemployment rate fell to historical lows in 2017, and rising wages fueled increased consumption, which played a more prominent role in 2017 GDP growth. A favorable outlook for the Eurozone suggests continued strong growth prospects for Slovakia during the next few years, although inflation is also expected to pick up. Among the most pressing domestic issues potentially threatening the attractiveness of the Slovak market are shortages in the qualified labor force, persistent corruption issues, and an inadequate judiciary, as well as a slow transition to an innovation-based economy. The energy sector in particular is characterized by unpredictable regulatory oversight and high costs, in part driven by government interference in regulated tariffs. Moreover, the government's attempts to maintain low household energy prices could harm the profitability of domestic energy firms while undercutting energy efficiency initiatives. |
| 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 | $178.513 billion (2019 est.) $174.47 billion (2018 est.) $168.134 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.) | 2.4% (2019 est.) 3.9% (2018 est.) 3.04% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $33,221 (2019 est.) $31,775 (2018 est.) $30,160 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $32,730 (2019 est.) $32,032 (2018 est.) $30,911 (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: 3.8% (2017 est.) industry: 35% (2017 est.) services: 61.2% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 15.4% (2018 est.) | 11.9% (2018 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 23.9% (2015 est.) | lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 19.3% (2015 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (2019 est.) 1.7% (2018 est.) 2% (2017 est.) | 2.6% (2019 est.) 2.5% (2018 est.) 1.3% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 9.561 million (2020 est.) | 2.511 million (2020 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 11.5% industry: 30.4% services: 57.6% (2015) | agriculture: 3.9% industry: 22.7% services: 73.4% (2015) |
| Unemployment rate | 5.43% (2019 est.) 6.08% (2018 est.) | 5% (2019 est.) 5.42% (2018 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 29.7 (2017 est.) 33.7 (2008) | 25.2 (2016 est.) 26.1 (2014) |
| Budget | revenues: 207.5 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 216.2 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 37.79 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 38.79 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles | automobiles; metal and metal products; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals, synthetic fibers, wood and paper products; machinery; earthenware and ceramics; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products; food and beverages; pharmaceutical |
| Industrial production growth rate | 7.5% (2017 est.) | 2.7% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | milk, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, triticale, maize, barley, apples, mixed grains, rye | wheat, maize, sugar beet, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, sunflower seed, soybeans, pork |
| Exports | $394.848 billion (2019 est.) $375.525 billion (2018 est.) $351.125 billion (2017 est.) | $113.964 billion (2019 est.) $113.092 billion (2018 est.) $107.518 billion (2017 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, seats, furniture, computers, video displays (2019) | cars and vehicle parts, video displays, broadcasting equipment, tires, refined petroleum (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Germany 27%, Czechia 6%, United Kingdom 6%, France 6%, Italy 5% (2019) | Germany 22%, Czechia 11%, Poland 7%, France 7%, Hungary 6%, Austria 5%, United Kingdom 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $364.993 billion (2019 est.) $353.423 billion (2018 est.) $328.919 billion (2017 est.) | $107.88 billion (2019 est.) $105.67 billion (2018 est.) $100.689 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, office machinery/parts (2019) | cars and vehicle parts, broadcasting equipment, crude petroleum, natural gas, insulated wiring (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Germany 25%, China 10%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019) | Germany 18%, Czechia 18%, Poland 8%, Hungary 7%, Russia 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $351.77 billion (2019 est.) $373.721 billion (2018 est.) | $115.853 billion (2019 est.) $114.224 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.) | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (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 | 50.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 51.8% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover general Government Gross Debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by Government entities, including sub-sectors of central, state, local government, and social security funds |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $113.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $114.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.622 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $2.892 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $2.92 billion (2019 est.) -$7.52 billion (2018 est.) | -$3.026 billion (2019 est.) -$2.635 billion (2018 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $595.72 billion (2019 est.) | $105.388 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: A2 (2012) Standard & Poors rating: A+ (2015) |
| 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: 75.6 (2020) Starting a Business score: 84.8 (2020) Trading score: 100 (2020) Enforcement score: 66.1 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 39.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 39.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -1.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 9.9% male: 9.6% female: 10.3% (2019 est.) | total: 16.1% male: 14% female: 19.7% (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: 54.7% (2017 est.) government consumption: 19.2% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.2% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.2% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 96.3% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -92.9% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 20.1% of GDP (2019 est.) 19.4% of GDP (2018 est.) 19.5% of GDP (2017 est.) | 21.3% of GDP (2019 est.) 22.5% of GDP (2018 est.) 21.8% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 156.9 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 25.32 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 149.4 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 26.64 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 12.02 billion kWh (2016) | 10.6 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 14.02 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 13.25 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 21,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 200 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 493,100 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 111,200 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 4,451 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 1,022 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 126 million bbl (1 January 2018) | 9 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 79.79 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 5.748 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 104.8 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 20.1 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 4.672 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.) | 4.984 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 38.11 million kW (2016 est.) | 7.644 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 79% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 36% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 24% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 554,200 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 131,300 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 649,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 85,880 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 104,800 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 81,100 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 222,300 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 38,340 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 6,824,896 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17.8 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 675,297 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12.41 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 48,392,944 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126.2 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 7,399,534 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135.96 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .pl | .sk |
| Internet users | total: 29,791,401 percent of population: 77.54% (July 2018 est.) | total: 4,391,969 percent of population: 80.66% (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: a modern telecom system; one operator has near monopoly of fixed-line market; competition in mobile- and fixed-broadband market; broadband growth in recent years; competition among DSL, cable, and fiber platforms; FttP growth in cities; operator launched 1Gb/s cable broadband service in 3 cities and 200,000 premises in 2019; EU funding for development and improvement of e-government and online services; regulator prepared groundwork for 5G services in 2020 (2021) (2020)domestic: four companies have a license to operate cellular networks and provide nationwide cellular services; a few other companies provide services but do not have their own networks; fixed-line 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular 136 per 100 teledensity (2019) international: country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services; connects to DREAM cable (2017) 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: 1,585,092 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29.12 (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) | state-owned public broadcaster, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), operates 2 national TV stations and multiple national and regional radio networks; roughly 50 privately owned TV stations operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 40% of households are connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; 32 privately owned radio stations |
Transportation
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| 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: 3,580 km (2016) standard gauge: 3,435 km 1.435-m gauge (1,587 km electrified) (2016) narrow gauge: 46 km 1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge (2016) broad gauge: 99 km 1.520-m gauge (2016) |
| 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: 56,926 km (includes local roads, national roads, and 464 km of highways) (2016) |
| Waterways | 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009) | 172 km (on Danube River) (2012) |
| Pipelines | 14198 km gas, 1374 km oil, 2483 km refined products (2016) | 2270 km gas transmission pipelines, 6278 km high-pressure gas distribution pipelines, 27023 km mid- and low-pressure gas distribution pipelines (2016), 510 km oil (2015) |
| 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): Bratislava, Komarno (Danube) |
| Airports | total: 126 (2013) | total: 35 (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: 19 (2019) over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 9 |
| 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: 15 (2019) 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 5 |
| Heliports | 6 (2013) | 1 (2019) |
| 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: 4 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 45 |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | SP | OM |
Military
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Slovenské Pozemné Sily), Air Forces (Slovenské Vzdusné Sily), Special Operations Forces (Sily Pre Speciálne Operácie) (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) | 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription in peacetime suspended in 2004; women are eligible to serve (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% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.71% of GDP (2019) 1.23% of GDP (2018) 1.11% of GDP (2017) 1.12% 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 | Slovakia 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 Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic have approximately 13,000 active duty personnel (6,000 Land Forces; 4,000 Air Forces; 3,000 other, including staff, special operations, and support 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 Slovakian military consists mostly of Soviet-era platforms; since 2010, it has imported limited quantities of equipment from China, Czechia, Italy, Russia, and the US (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 | 240 Cyprus (UNFICYP); up to 150 Latvia (NATO) (Jan 2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia has implemented strict Schengen border rules |
| 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 point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasy |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 9,870 (Russia) (2019) stateless persons: 1,390 (2020) | stateless persons: 1,532 (2020) |
Environment
| Poland | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| 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: 17.54 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 32.42 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 4.43 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: 293.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 231.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 31.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.17% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.22% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0.27% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0.01% 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: 1.784 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 135,941 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 7.6% (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
