Poland vs. Slovakia
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 |
Source: CIA Factbook
