Poland: Geography#

LocationCentral Europe, east of Germany
Geographic Coordinates52 00 N, 20 00 E 52.0,20.0
Area total: 312,685 sq km
land: 304,255 sq km
water: 8,430 sq km
[Verified in 8 databases]
Land boundariestotal: 3,071 km
border countries: Belarus 418 km, Czech Republic 796 km, Germany 467 km, Lithuania 104 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia 541 km, Ukraine 535 km
Coastline440 km
Elevation Extremeslowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Highest MountainsDue to difference in mountain rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists :
According to Wolfram: Rysy 2499 m; Swinica 2301 m; Kozi Wierch 2291 m; Starorobocianski Wierch 2176 m; Koscielec 2155 m
According to Geonames: Rysy 2499 m; Swinica 2301 m; Klyn 2176 m; Posredni Woloszyn 2117 m; Ciemniak 2096 m

Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office@global-geography.org
Important Mountains
Terrainmostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Natural Hazardsflooding
Natural Resourcecoal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Land Usearable land: 35.49%
permanent crops: 1.25%
other: 63.26% (2011)
Climatetemperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Irrigated Land1,157 sq km (2007)
Renewable Water Resources61.6 cu km (2011)
Environment_CurrentIssuessituation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial establishments bring their facilities up to EU code, but at substantial cost to business and the government
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Large CitiesDue to difference in city rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists :
According to Wolfram: Warsaw; Krakow; Lodz; Wroclaw; Poznan
According to Geonames: Warsaw; Lódz; Kraków; Wroclaw; Poznan

Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office@global-geography.org
Important Cities
Geography-notehistorically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
Important Rivers
Important Lakes