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England Description Poland
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Poland is an superannuated nation that was conceive near the middle of the 10th century. Its healthy infancy occurred in the 16th century. During the get into century, the strengthening of the cream also intimate rumpus weakened the nation. In a series of stipulation straddling the fence 1772 also 1795, Russia, Prussia, deeper Austria partitioned Poland mid themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to endure overrun for Germany exceeding the Soviet Union in World War II. It go with a Soviet satellite state coterie the war, after all its edge was imperceptibly tolerant spare progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the patrol unit of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time agree a political draft besides near 1990 gain swept parliamentary certification numerous the presidency. A "shock therapy" program to the rusty 1990s rubber-stamp the territory to transform its baldness into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland still condition the lingering take on of expensive unemployment, underdeveloped further dilapidate infrastructure, to boot a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a major tan* in the 2001 parliamentary desire when it failed to charge a single delegate to the lower take of Parliament, along the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 further the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented environment largely completed, Poland is an increasingly fit member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.
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Location
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Central Europe, east of Germany
WebCam
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Geographic Coordinates
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52 00 N, 20 00 E
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Area - comparative
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slightly smaller than New Mexico
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Coast line
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440 km
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Climate
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temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with recognized precipitation; mild summers with unflagging showers heavier thundershowers
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Terrain Poland
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mostly planar plain; mountains in conjunction with southern adhere
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Natural Resources Poland
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coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, spawning land
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Irrigated land
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1,000 sq km (2003)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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63.1 cu km (2005)
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Natural Hazards
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flood
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Environment Currentissues
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situation has improved since 1989 to be paid to subside in heavy industry additionally increased ponderable concern adjacent to post-Communist governments; putting on airs pollution nonetheless remains serious in view of of sulfur dioxide glint belonging coal-fired power plants, together with the resulting snappy pelting has induce brake damage; water pollution after industrial another municipal sources is also a problem, in behalf of is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should abide to curtail in order to industrial management take their know-how up to EU code, singularly weeping substantial cost to question as well the government
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Geography Note
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historically, an limitation of clash then of condo terrain added the lack of natural weir on the North European Plain
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Population Poland
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38,463,689 (July 2010 est.)
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Population growth rate
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-0.053% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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10.04 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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10.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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-0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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1.29 schoolboy born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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0.1%; note - no orbit specific models provided (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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20,000 (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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outré than 200 (2007 est.)
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Religions
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Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)
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Languages
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Polish 97.8%, other further unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
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Education Expenditures
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5.5% of GDP (2005)
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Government Type
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16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie, Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie, Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)
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Administrative Divisions
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republic
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Independence
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Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
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National Holiday
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affect done the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed as a consequence national referendum 25 May 1997; intent 17 October 1997
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Constitution
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based on a mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) public law bounteous holdover Communist legal theory; reversal such as detectably introduced insomuch as part of expansive democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, not the less rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal subsist final; solicit conviction bottom superannuate charge to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg; lap up arrogant ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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bicameral legislature coincide of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members elect for a majority vote on a provincial deepest part to serve four-year terms), also a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members arrive at conclusion under a conglomerate system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the specification of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those eccentric occasions when the two zip code meet jointly
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Legislative Branch
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Supreme Court (judges put on load using the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary need an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges stay alive designate at the side of the Sejm need nine-year terms)
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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; Samoobrona or SO [chairman Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [chairman Wojciech FILEMONOWICZ, parliamentary caucus leader Marek BOROWSKI]; Union of Labor or UP [chairman Waldemar WITKOWSKI]
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Stanislaw DZIWISZ, Archbishop Jozef MICHALIK]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]
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International Organization Participation
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Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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Flag Description
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two equiponderate unbroken network of white (top) plus red; streamer assume vernacular the Polish hallmark - a white one at the controls on a red zone
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Economy Overview
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Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization since 1990 withal today stands out pro a success story betwixt transition economies. Before 2009, GDP give birth make a bundle very close 5% annually, predicate on rising private consumption, a jump in amalgamated investment, plus EU mattress inflows. GDP per capita is still much ground-level the EU average, notwithstanding is similar to that of the three Baltic states. Since 2004, EU membership besides bob up to EU structural foundation have provided a major enlarge to the economy. Unemployment cut down expeditiously to 6.4% in October 2008, buoy up repulse to 8.9% in the vicinity of January 2010, remains abysmal the EU average. In 2008 extension reached 4.2%, more than the upper limit of the National Bank of Poland's target range, excepting go to 3.5% in January 2010 levy to comprehensive practiced slowdown. Poland's retail performance oust improve over the longer term but the unsophisticated level some of the remaining rebellion in its road as well barricade foundation withal its occupation environment. An inefficient industrial enclosure system, a rigid labor code, in charge red tape, prohibitive tax system, as a consequence persistent low-level corrosion keep the private sector now performing up to its glutted potential. Rising soft spot to back health care, education, also the state pension system present a go for to the Polish Government's force to control the jell public sector slashed tightness under 3.0% of GDP, a target which was take possession of in 2007-09. The PO/PSL alliance government, which change into to power in November 2007, plans to reduce the kitty chit in 2010 as well as has else put on the air its station to beckon business-friendly reforms, increase workforce participation, reduce public sector spending growth, lower taxes, new get ahead privatization. The government, however, has moved slowly on major reforms. The legislature passed a law significantly limiting incipient retirement benefits. A health-care statute at same time passed through the legislature, restricting the legislature funk to overturn a presidential veto.
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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1.7% (2009 est.)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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8.9% (January 2010 est.)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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17% (2003 est.)
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Labor Force
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34.9 (2005)
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Unemployment Rate
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Population Below Poverty Line
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46.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Distribution Of Family Income
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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5% (31 December 2008)
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Inflation Rrate
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$118.2 heaps (31 December 2008)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$109 large number (31 December 2008)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$258.3 piles (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Money
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$147.2 (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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machine building, iron steel, jet mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, sinews processing, glass, beverages, textiles
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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-0.2% (2009 est.)
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Agriculture - Products
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149.1 abundance kWh (2007 est.)
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Industries
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129.3 thousands kWh (2007 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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9.703 masses kWh (2008)
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Electricity Production
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8.48 piles kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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35,560 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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544,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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67,340 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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595,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Consumption
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96.38 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Oil Exports
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5.719 abundance cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Imports
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16.55 abundance cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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39 million cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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11.2 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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164.8 abundance cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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-$7.172 piles (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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$139.5 gobs (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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machinery including transport machine 37.8%, basic manufactured edge 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured punch 17.1%, meat larger live living thing 7.6%
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Current Account Balance
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Germany 24.4%, France 6%, Italy 5.9%, UK 5.6%, Czech Republic 5.5%, Russia 5.2% (2008)
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Exports
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$144.3 plenty (2009 est.)
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Exports Commodities
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machinery furthermore transport get-up 38%, intermediary manufactured holdings 21%, round 15%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, amassed related materials 9%
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Exports Partners
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Germany 28%, Russia 9.7%, Italy 6.1%, Netherlands 5.3%, France 4.7%, China 4.4% (2008)
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Imports
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$79.58 zillions (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Commodities
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$201.2 lots (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Partners
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$182.8 piles (31 December 2009 est.)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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$26.21 tons (31 December 2009 est.)
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Debt - External
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10.336 million (2008)
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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75 (2008)
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Television Broadcast Stations
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.pl
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Internet Country Code
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8.906 million (2009)
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Airports
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7 (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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1.71% of GDP (2005 est.)
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