Poland: Geography#
Location | Central Europe, east of Germany |
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Geographic Coordinates | 52 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 boundaries | total: 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 |
Coastline | 440 km |
Elevation Extremes | lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m highest point: Rysy 2,499 m |
Highest Mountains | Due 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 nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org Important Mountains |
Terrain | mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border |
Natural Hazards | flooding |
Natural Resource | coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land |
Land Use | arable land: 35.49% permanent crops: 1.25% other: 63.26% (2011) |
Climate | temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers |
Irrigated Land | 1,157 sq km (2007) |
Renewable Water Resources | 61.6 cu km (2011) |
Environment_CurrentIssues | situation 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 agreements | party 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 Cities | Due 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 nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org Important Cities |
Geography-note | historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain Important Rivers Important Lakes |